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Physical Activity and Social Cognition in the Elderly

Author

Listed:
  • Juan José Alarcón-Jiménez

    (Human Kinetics and Body Composition Laboratory, Department of Didactics of Languages, Arts and Sports, Universidad de Málaga, 29010 Málaga, Spain)

  • Adriana Nielsen-Rodríguez

    (Human Kinetics and Body Composition Laboratory, Department of Didactics of Languages, Arts and Sports, Universidad de Málaga, 29010 Málaga, Spain)

  • Ramón Romance

    (Human Kinetics and Body Composition Laboratory, Department of Didactics of Languages, Arts and Sports, Universidad de Málaga, 29010 Málaga, Spain)

  • Ricardo Gómez-Huelgas

    (Internal Medicine Department, Regional University Hospital of Malaga, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga (IBIMA), Universidad de Málaga, 29010 Málaga, Spain
    CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y la Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain)

  • M. Rosa Bernal-López

    (Internal Medicine Department, Regional University Hospital of Malaga, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga (IBIMA), Universidad de Málaga, 29010 Málaga, Spain
    CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y la Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain)

Abstract

Social cognition is related to the so-called “Theory of the mind” and refers to the ability to understand the behavior of other people. It plays a transcendental role in the social relations cohesion. Knowing whether normal aging is associated with deficiencies in social understanding is a problem in characterizing the changes that occur in adulthood. The aim of this study was to examine whether the social cognition of the elderly is mediated by factors such as working memory, physical activity, body composition, or age, in elderly people. Sixty volunteers (mean age, 71.50 ± 4.84 years) were recruited from various locations in Malaga. Recognition of emotional expression, working memory, body composition, and physical activity were evaluated. Our results show that performance in emotion recognition is not affected by age in the range studied. Furthermore, we have not found a relationship with any of the body composition parameters. However, a significant relationship with performance in working memory has been revealed, as well as a significant relationship between vigorous/very vigorous physical activity and working memory. Therefore, physical activity could be positively related to the recognition of emotions by positively influencing working memory.

Suggested Citation

  • Juan José Alarcón-Jiménez & Adriana Nielsen-Rodríguez & Ramón Romance & Ricardo Gómez-Huelgas & M. Rosa Bernal-López, 2020. "Physical Activity and Social Cognition in the Elderly," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-12, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:11:p:4687-:d:368845
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Phoebe E. Bailey & Julie D. Henry, 2008. "Growing Less Empathic With Age: Disinhibition of the Self-Perspective," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 63(4), pages 219-226.
    2. Louise H. Phillips & Rory D. J. MacLean & Roy Allen, 2002. "Age and the Understanding of Emotions," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 57(6), pages 526-530.
    3. R Asaad Baksh & Sharon Abrahams & Bonnie Auyeung & Sarah E MacPherson, 2018. "The Edinburgh Social Cognition Test (ESCoT): Examining the effects of age on a new measure of theory of mind and social norm understanding," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(4), pages 1-16, April.
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