Does Brain Sweat Pay Off?: The Association between the Need for Cognition and Cognitive Function among the American Elderly

Abstract

Background: The global incidence of impaired cognition increases with the overall aging of the population. Regarding prophylactic measures, it is unclear whether engaging in cognitively-stimulating activities can decrease the risk of cognitive impairment.Objective: To determine the association between Need for Cognition and cognitive ability within a representative mirroring sample of the elderly population in the United States. Methods:We evaluated the association between Need for Cognition (measured through cognitive effort and enjoyment scores) as a predictor and neurocognitive scores (number series, concept formation, calculations, word attack, picture vocabulary, auditory working memory and similarities) as outcomes using the CogUSA dataset.Results: A total of 1,174 participants of at least 64 years of age were part of this analysis. Participants attending college (49.4%) presented higher cognitive effort and enjoyment scores. The findings demonstrate a two-factor structure, the first related to neurocognitive tests and the second related to need for cognition, with good factor loadings. Conclusion:Need for Cognition and neurocognitive ability is strongly correlated and could perhaps be constructed as a single factor. Future research should focus on assessing the relationship between the Need for Cognition and cognitive function in the context of a multitude of other factors, thus determining the contribution of individual factors under different circumstances. IntroductionAging is associated with a decline in basic cognitive functioning, including deficits in attention and episodic memory [1]. The incidence of individuals with declined cognition has increased with the global increase in the aging population that accompanies increased life expectancy [2]. In an attempt to prevent cognitive impairment, some studies have evaluated whether being involved with cognitivelystimulating activities can decrease the risk of cognitive decline [3,4]. In the literature, one of the metrics for engaging with cognitivelystimulating activities is the Need for Cognition, defined as "the tendency for an individual to engage in and enjoy thinking" [5]. Other activities commonly associated with people with high Need for Cognition levels might include searching, acquiring, and reflecting about information, all of which correspond to activities that could potentially decrease the risk of subsequent cognitive deficits. Despite this potential association, to our knowledge, these studies evaluated the association between need for cognition and cognitive ability only within local samples that do not mirror representative of the entire United States population [6,7].When it comes to the study of the association between the need for cognition and cognitive ability, some studies found an association while investigating both small and large non-representative samples. For example, higher levels of Need for Cognition have been found to lead toward increased cognitive ability in up to two years [6]. Other studies found that self-r...

The influence of need for cognition and need for emotion on elderly responses to advertising: an exploratory study and implications for change in management

“…Thy found that older adults showed a lower accuracy rate compared with young adults when conclusion believability and logical validity were incongruent. Maldonato et al. (2017), argue that people with a low level of NFC are less likely to be actively involved in gathering information or advice when solving difficult problems, which ultimately leads researchers to suggest that the need to cognition could affect cognitive reactions.…”

“…when aging) (Spotts, 1994). As they age, individuals tend to have attention issues, to experience difficulties and to be slower in learning new information (Ding et al, 2020;Maldonato et al, 2017). Overall, the findings of these studies suggest that there exists a negative relationship between the NFC and chronological age.…”

“…, 2020; Cacioppo et al ., 1996). Maldonato et al. (2017), argue that people with a low level of NFC are less likely to be actively involved in gathering information or advice when solving difficult problems, which ultimately leads researchers to suggest that the NFC could affect cognitive reactions.…”

“…, 2020; Cole and Houston, 1987), and on the use of media (Davis and French, 1989). Several studies in gerontology have focused on changes in cognitive processes that occur with age (Maldonato et al. , 2017; Spotts, 1994).…”

“…As they age, individuals tend to have attention issues, to experience difficulties and to be slower in learning new information (Ding et al. , 2020; Maldonato et al. , 2017).…”