Gali H Weissberger1, Anya Samek2, Laura Mosqueda3,4, Annie L Nguyen3, Aaron C Lim3, Laura Fenton5, S Duke Han3,6,5,4,7,8. 1. Interdisciplinary Department of Social Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel. 2. Department of Economics, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA. 3. Department of Family Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Alhambra, CA, USA. 4. USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, Los Angeles, CA, USA. 5. Department of Psychology, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences, Los Angeles, CA, USA. 6. Department of Neurology, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA. 7. Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA. 8. Department of Behavioral Sciences and Psychiatry, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Older age is associated with an increase in altruistic behaviors such as charitable giving. However, few studies have investigated the cognitive correlates of financial altruism in older adults. OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the cognitive correlates of financial altruism measured using an altruistic choice paradigm in a community-based sample of older adults. METHODS: In the present study, a sample of older adults (N = 67; M age = 69.21, SD = 11.23; M education years = 15.97, SD = 2.51; 58.2% female; 71.6% Non-Hispanic White) completed a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment and an altruistic choice paradigm in which they made decisions about allocating money between themselves and an anonymous person. RESULTS: In multiple linear regression analyses that controlled for age, education, and sex, financial altruism was negatively associated with performance on cognitive measures typically sensitive to early Alzheimer's disease (including word list learning and recall, delayed story recall, and animal fluency). CONCLUSION: Findings of this study point to a negative relationship between financial altruism and cognitive functioning in older adults on measures known to be sensitive to Alzheimer's disease. Findings also point to a potential link between financial exploitation risk and Alzheimer's disease in older age.
BACKGROUND: Older age is associated with an increase in altruistic behaviors such as charitable giving. However, few studies have investigated the cognitive correlates of financial altruism in older adults. OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the cognitive correlates of financial altruism measured using an altruistic choice paradigm in a community-based sample of older adults. METHODS: In the present study, a sample of older adults (N = 67; M age = 69.21, SD = 11.23; M education years = 15.97, SD = 2.51; 58.2% female; 71.6% Non-Hispanic White) completed a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment and an altruistic choice paradigm in which they made decisions about allocating money between themselves and an anonymous person. RESULTS: In multiple linear regression analyses that controlled for age, education, and sex, financial altruism was negatively associated with performance on cognitive measures typically sensitive to early Alzheimer's disease (including word list learning and recall, delayed story recall, and animal fluency). CONCLUSION: Findings of this study point to a negative relationship between financial altruism and cognitive functioning in older adults on measures known to be sensitive to Alzheimer's disease. Findings also point to a potential link between financial exploitation risk and Alzheimer's disease in older age.
Authors: Gali H Weissberger; Laura Mosqueda; Annie L Nguyen; Anya Samek; Patricia A Boyle; Caroline P Nguyen; S Duke Han Journal: Aging Ment Health Date: 2019-02-10 Impact factor: 3.658
Authors: R Nathan Spreng; Benjamin N Cassidy; Bri S Darboh; Elizabeth DuPre; Amber W Lockrow; Roni Setton; Gary R Turner Journal: J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci Date: 2017-10-01 Impact factor: 6.053