Cited by 82Aging and Gerontology ResearchCognitive Abilities and TestingDementia and Cognitive Impairment Research

Developmental change and intraindividual variability: Relating cognitive aging to cognitive plasticity, cardiovascular lability, and emotional diversity.

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Ram, Nilam, Gerstorf, Denis, Lindenberger, Ulman, Smith, Jacqui·2011·Psychology and Aging

Abstract

Repeated assessments obtained over years can be used to measure individuals' developmental change, whereas repeated assessments obtained over a few weeks can be used to measure individuals' dynamic characteristics. Using data from a burst of measurement embedded in the Berlin Aging Study (BASE; Baltes & Mayer, 1999), we illustrate and examine how long-term changes in cognitive ability are related to short-term changes in cognitive performance, cardiovascular function, and emotional experience. Our findings suggest that "better" cognitive aging over approximately 13 years was associated with greater cognitive plasticity, less cardiovascular lability, and less emotional diversity over approximately 2 weeks at age 90 years. The study highlights the potential benefits of multi-time scale longitudinal designs for the study of individual function and development.

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    “most studies of intra-individual emotion variability simply fail to consider gender or attempt to statistically “control” for it20–28.”

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Authors
Ram, N., Gerstorf, D., Lindenberger, U., & Smith, J.
Affiliations
  • Pennsylvania State University (US)
  • Max Planck Society (DE)
Venue
Psychology and Aging
Published
2011-06
Volume
26
Issue
2
Pages
363-371
ISSN
  • 0882-7974 (ISSN-L)
  • 1939-1498
OpenAlex
W2129620889
Cited by
82
References
9
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 12 · 2014: 11 · 2013: 4 · 2012: 5
FWCI
9.13
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Psychology and Aging (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (submittedVersion)
  • Max Planck Digital Library (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • MPG.PuRe (Max Planck Society) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
Funders
  • National Institute on Aging (RC1 AG035645; R21 AG032379; R21 AG004132)
  • Max Planck Institute for Human Development
  • Max Planck Society
  • Free University of Berlin
  • German Federal Ministry for Research and Technology (13 TA 011 + 13 TA 011/A)
  • German Federal Ministry for Family, Senior Citizens, Women, and Youth (314-1722-102/9 + 314-1722-102/9a)
  • Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology › Aging and Gerontology Research
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Cognitive Abilities and Testing
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research
Keywords
cognitive aging, cognitive plasticity, emotional diversity, within-person variability, developmental changes, repeated assessment, older adults, Berlin Aging Study
MeSH terms
Adaptation, Psychological, Aged, 80 and over, Aging, Berlin, Cognition, Emotions, Female, Heart Rate, Humans, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Neuropsychological Tests

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