We may wish some memories could last a lifetime, but many physical and emotional factors can negatively impact our ability to retain information throughout life.
From: Association for Psychological
Science
October 29, 2020
A new study published in the
journal Psychological Science found that people who feel
enthusiastic and cheerful -- what psychologists call "positive
affect" -- are less likely to experience memory decline as they age. This
result adds to a growing body of research on positive affect's role in healthy
aging.
A team of researchers analyzed data from
991 middle-aged and older U.S. adults who participated in a national study
conducted at three time periods: between 1995 and 1996, 2004 and 2006, and 2013
and 2014.
In each assessment, participants
reported on a range of positive emotions they had experienced during the past
30 days. In the final two assessments, participants also completed tests of
memory performance. These tests consisted of recalling words immediately after
their presentation and again 15 minutes later.
The researchers examined the association
between positive affect and memory decline, accounting for age, gender,
education, depression, negative affect, and extraversion.
"Our findings showed that memory
declined with age," said Claudia Haase, an associate professor at
Northwestern University and senior author on the paper. "However,
individuals with higher levels of positive affect had a less steep memory
decline over the course of almost a decade," added Emily Hittner, a PhD
graduate of Northwestern University and the paper's lead author.
Areas of future research might address
the pathways that could connect positive affect and memory, such as physical
health or social relationships.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/10/201029135501.htm
No comments:
Post a Comment