Go with the wisdom of the heart
Image: iStock/Trevor Smith
-
The Wisdom of Psychopaths
In this engrossing journey into the lives of psychopaths and their infamously crafty behaviors, the renowned psychologist Kevin Dutton reveals that there is a...
Read More »
When you think of old age – of people over the age of 65 years – what immediately comes to mind? If you were to answer memory problems, slowing down, poorer ability to make decisions, and the like, then you’d be conveying a view of aging that is rooted in reality. Decades of research document substantial age-related declines in many cognitive functions – such as memory, attention, language, and even our ability to reason and problem solve. So, are we all doomed to a fate of flawed reasoning as we age?
Recent research indicates that the answer is a resounding no. Although declines in reasoning and cognition are undeniable, there is a burgeoning literature indicating that our emotions can save the day. As we age, it seems, we are better able to harness the power of our emotions: they can help us make decisions – and even in navigating social situations.
For example, as we age, we are better able to control our emotions, and we can use our emotions in ways that improve our well-being. When presented with emotionally charged situations, older individuals, for instance, use strategies that focus on the positive and minimize the negative. Such a focus brings benefits in that older adults experience fewer negative emotions and more positive emotions in their daily lives. But do these emotional gains have the power to assuage the cognitive losses?
My own recent research indicates that when older adults rely more on emotion to make decisions, the quality of their decisions is superior. In particular, we had older and younger adults make healthcare decisions (e.g., choosing a new physician or healthcare plan). We presented people with a choice between two alternatives, for instance a physician who participates in continuing education, interacts well with his staff, but has few years of experience versus another physician who is recommended by consumer organizations, but sometimes acts arrogantly and is not sensitive to individual patient needs. While participants were considering information of this sort, we had some of them focus on all the details and make their decision with careful analysis of the facts. For other participants, we had them consider all of the details but focus on how they felt about each of the physicians.
We found that younger adults made the best decisions when reasoning through the decisions, but the older participants did better by focusing on their feelings. In fact, focusing on their feelings allowed seniors to do just as well as the young. When making decisions, older adults can capitalize on their emotional strengths to offset their cognitive deficits.
The wisdom of the heart also appears to help older adults resolve interpersonal issues. For instance, older adults shift their attention away from the negative aspects of conflicts and are generally less reactive to social conflicts. Thus, older adults are better able to navigate emotional matters in interpersonal conflicts, and this strength results in better marriages, better friendships, and closer bonds relative to their younger counterparts. Moreover, it appears that the higher levels of well-being in older adults is contagious by eliciting positivity in their social partners.
With age, then, comes a special talent in using emotion. Importantly, the gains from focusing on the emotional side of life may even counteract the diminishing ability of some older adults to make good decisions. It seems they have a secret that people of all ages could benefit from: it’s okay to listen to the beat of your heart and follow where it leads.
Rights & Permissions
See what we're tweeting about
14 Comments
Add CommentA little fluffy for a SciAM article, but still interesting.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisGreat gawd a-mite-ee! Is this what passes for research these days?!!
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI wonder just what ages were involved in this "study". Is this about seniors so old that certain of their cognitive abilities have suffered the ravages of physical deterioration of the brain matter?
I'm 70. In the last six years, since retiring, I've taken up writing, blogging (bought my first computer at 71), and crossword puzzles as activities. I now easily and consistently remember the names of people I meet ( something I was very poor at all my life), the authors of books and essays that impress me, and can accurately quote ideas and concepts of interesting writers from memory; off the top of my head, so to speak.
More than this, I've met many fellow seniors - over 65 - who say the same thing. Whoever did this "research" needs to go back to school and learn how to establish the proper criteria for such research and follow it up with careful, double or triple-blind testing. Only then should he/she publish his/her results and ask for them to be peer reviewed.
My memory is better than it ever was and my reasoning abilities are MUCH better thanks to my life experiences - experience is the "ammo" of reasoning - and both continue to grow thanks to interesting, involving, and demanding on-line debates on everything from religion to politics.
Despite the other naysaying comments I found this article relevant and interesting.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisHaving said that scribblerlarry makes some very valid points that are backed up by research from leading neuroscience professionals. Age does NOT have to mean mental decline.
Way to go scibblerLarry...Keep it up my brother...
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThis is science? One man's anecdotal observations about elderly people who follow their hearts?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisCertainly the subject is fascinating, but where's the discussion of relevant neurology, current knowledge of the physiological basis of memory, and corroborating evidence?
I find it strange that although the topic appears at first glance to weigh in a research topic about aging and cognitive abilities, yet the description of the process by which they came to this conclusion strikes me a HEAVILY biased. By this I mean that the research appears to make a selection about the facts and feelings presented about a group of possible physicians and grades the subjects in the test based on which physician they choose.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI would point out that EVERY human being has different grading criteria they find important to themselves, primarily built upon their experiences and then also influenced by interaction with people and things that each person considers reasonable and within sound judgement. SO, I press on, HOW CAN A RESEARCHER grade a persons JUDGMENT on this! It's an opinion.
Without clearly outlining the whole process, it certainly appears to me to be BOGUS research. Where is the scientific approach! Control samples? I suggest a new drawing board as this type of science just isn't science at all......
As the baby Boomer generation creeps into old age I'm afraid we're going to see more and more of this type of Feel Good display. Alongside the five dollar cup of coffee and cinematic remakes of old TV shows we'll see those who will figure how to squeeze a buck from exploiting their waning years.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisHaving the confidence to rely on our own intuition and emotions rather than worshiping what is too often faulty research and skewed data is a viable alternative to living life effectively. Does all truth come to us through statistics and the scientific method? I think not.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThis article is so bad that I am getting angry! There, I can tink better.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisscribblerlarry: You are currently age 70 and you bought your first computer at age 71. You have not only avoided age related dementia problems, but you have also discovered the elusive secret of time travel.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisDo you own a DeLorean ?
I think old people are grumbling too much.Why they remind themselves about their old age?. When two old people met they generally discuss about their health and satisfy to gain sympathy from each other.If old people stop to met old people and try to mix up with young people their attitude to looking life will completely change.and never grumble about disease of old age.I don't believed if you are alter, your memory diminishing, or your thinking capacities lowering.This kind of research really making nervous to senior citizens.I advice to senior citizens please avoid to read this kind of nonsense article
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI find that this article is giving the real attitude to our 'mind" or brain function.The big problem of science that it is stuck in understanding brain only because scientists just rely on statistics and the so-called " scientific examinations".In the matter of brain this does not work. If we will wait until the scientists make their statistics without any connection to reality we would never reach the truth.If every one look at himself with deep examination we will find the truth of our brain function, no one knows butter than us what we realy feel or how we think, especially women who have their strong intuition about the real matter of common sense.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI consult on the application of Macintosh computers. My oldest client is 91 this year!
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisRecently, he purchased a new iMac so he could learn the new 10.7 Lion OS.
He flew A-25's in the Pacific in WWII.
Oh, he's pretty good at operating Lion, too.
How on earth is 'a better decision' defined??? Not a clue that I saw!
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisTalk about junky research! - at least the way it's presented here, and since it is so presented, one has to really question whether there's any there there.
SciAm should be ashamed for publishing this tripe.