 |
 |
Vienna Institute of Demography (Ed.)
Vienna Yearbook of Population Research 2012
Valeria Bordone,
Daniela Weber
S. 95 - 126 doi: 10.1553/populationyearbook2012s95
Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften
Abstract:
The investigation on cognition has identified structural characteristics of thesocial network as important components to contrast cognitive ageing. Using datafrom the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe, we examine theassociation between number of children and cognitive functioning in later life,considering the performance in three cognitive tests (fluency, immediate recalland delayed recall). The analyses focus on respondents aged 60+, not in thelabour market, accounting for their proximity and frequency of contact tochildren. We find a positive association between cognitive functioning and havingchildren: childless men and women name a lower number of items in one test, theso-called “fluency test”. However, parents of two children show higher abilitiesthan parents of a single child and heads of large families. Our findings alsoindicate that more contacts with children are associated with higher fluency.Interestingly, the relationship with the child(ren) is not significantly related tocognitive performance in the two tests of recall abilities, where educationalattainment and the presence of a spouse or partner show to be more relevant.Studying both men and women allows us to consider both biological mechanismsand social relationships linking parity and cognitive functioning in later life.
2013/01/16 11:08:17 Object Identifier:
0xc1aa5572 0x002d68a3
Rights:All rights reserved.For questions regarding copyright and copies please contact us by email.
Introduction
K.S. James, Vegard Skirbekk and Jan Van Bavel: Education and the global fertility transition
Refereed Articles
David Shapiro: Women’s education and fertility transition in sub-Saharan Africa
Onipede Wusu: A reassessment of the effects of female education and employment on fertility in Nigeria
Bernhard Nauck and Rokuro Tabuchi: One or two pathways to individual modernity? The effects of education on family formation among women in Japan and Germany
Albert Esteve, Jeroen Spijker, Tim Riffe and Joan García: Spousal and parental roles among female student populations in 55 low- and
middle- income countries
Valeria Bordone and Daniela Weber: Number of children and cognitive abilities in later life
Jan Van Bavel: The reversal of gender inequality in education, union formation and fertility in Europe
|
|
|
REFERENCES |
|
|
Agahi, N., M. Silverstein and M.G. Parker. 2011. Late-life and earlier participation in leisure activities: their importance for survival among older persons. Activities, Adaptation & Aging 35(3): 210-222
|
|
|
Agrigoroaei, S. and M.E. Lachman. 2011. Cognitive functioning in midlife and old age: combined effects of psychosocial and behavioral factors. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences 66B(S1): i130- i140
|
|
|
Alley, D., K. Suthers and E. Crimmins. 2007. Education and cognitive decline in older Americans: results from the AHEAD sample. Research on Aging 29: 73-94
|
|
|
Anstey, K.J. and G. Smith. 1999. Interrelationships among biological markers of aging, health, activity, acculturation, and cognitive performance in late adulthood. Psychology and Aging 14(4): 605-618
|
|
|
Anstey, K.J., Lord, S.R., and Smith, G.A. 1996. Human functional age research: A review of empirical findings. Experimental Aging Research 22(3):245-266
|
|
|
Antonucci, T.C. 1990. Social supports and social relationships. In Handbook of Aging and the Social Sciences, ed. R.H. Binstock and L.K. George, 205-226. San Diego, CA: Academic Press
|
|
|
Arpino, B. and V. Bordone. 2012. Does grandparenting pay off? The effect of childcare on grandparents cognitive functioning. European Demographic Research Papers 4. Vienna: Vienna Institute of Demography of the Austrian Academy of Sciences
|
|
|
Balin, A.K. 1994. Practical handbook of biologic age determination. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press
|
|
|
Ball, K., J.D. Edwards and L.A. Ross. 2007. The impact of speed of processing training on cognitive and everyday functions. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences 62B(Special Issue I): 19-31
|
|
|
Baltes, P.B. 1987. Theoretical propositions of life-span developmental psychology: On dynamics between growth and decline. Developmental Psychology 23(5): 611-626
|
|
|
Baltes, P.B. and G.V. Labouvie. 1973. Adult development of intellectual performance: Description, explanation, and modification. In The Psychology of Adult Development and Aging, ed. C. Eisdorfer and M.P. Lawton, 157-219. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association
|
|
|
Baltes, P.B. and U. Lindenberger. 1988. On the range of cognitive plasticity in old age as a function of experience: 15 years of intervention research. Behavior Therapy 19: 283-300
|
|
|
Baltes, P.B., U. Lindenberger and U.M. Staudinger. 2006. Lifespan theory in developmental psychology. In Handbook of Child Psychology, ed. W. Damon and R.M. Lerner, 569-664. New York: Wiley
|
|
|
Bassuk, S., T. Glass and L. Berkman. 1999. Social disengagement and incident cognitive decline in community-dwelling elderly persons. Annals of Internal Medicine 131(3): 165-173
|
|
|
Batty, G.D., I.J. Deary, I. Schoon and C.R. Gale. 2007. Mental ability across childhood in relation to risk factors for premature mortality in adult life: the 1970 British Cohort Study. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health 61(11): 997-1003
|
|
|
Beland, F., M.-V. Zunzunegui, B. Alvarado, A. Otero and T. del Ser. 2005. Trajectories of cognitive decline and social relations. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences 60(6): 320-330
|
|
|
Belle, D. 1982. Lives in Stress: Women and Depression. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage
|
|
|
Bengtson, V.L. and J.A. Kuypers. 1986. The family support cycle: Psycho-social issues in the aging family. In Life span and change in a gerontological perspective, ed. J.M.A. Munnichs, P. Mussen and E. Olbrich, 61-77. New York: Academic Press
|
|
|
Bengtson, V.L. and R.E.L. Roberts. 1991. Intergenerational solidarity in aging families: an example of formal theory construction. Journal of Marriage and Family 53(4): 856-870
|
|
|
Berkman, L.F., T. Glass, I. Brissette and T.E. Seeman. 2000. From social integration to health: Durkheim in the new millennium. Social Science& Medicine 51(6): 843-857
|
|
|
Bonsang, E., S. Adam and S. Perelman. 2012. Does retirement affect cognitive functioning? Journal of Health Economics 31(3): 490-501
|
|
|
Buber, I. and H. Engelhardt. 2008. Childrens impact on the mental health of their older mothers and fathers: findings from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe. European Journal of Ageing 5(1): 31-45
|
|
|
Börsch-Supan, A., A. Brugiavini, H. Jürges, J. Mackenbach, J. Siegrist and G. Weber, eds. 2005. Health, ageing and retirement in Europe – First results from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe. Mannheim: Mannheim Research Institute for the Economics of Aging (MEA)
|
|
|
Cagney, K.A. and D.S. Lauderdale. 2002. Education, wealth, and cognitive function in later life. Journal of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences 57(2): P163-P172
|
|
|
Cattell, R.B. 1943. The measurement of adult intelligence. Psychological Bulletin 40(3): 153-193
|
|
|
Chaves, L.M., A.L. Camozzato, C. Laks Eizirik and J. Kaye. 2009. Predictors of normal and successful aging among urban-dwelling elderly Brazilians. Journal of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences 64B(5): 597-602
|
|
|
Christensen, H., A. Korten, A. Jorm, A. Henderson, R. Scott and A. MacKinnon. 1996. Activity levels and cognitive functioning in an elderly community sample. Age and Ageing 25(1): 72-80
|
|
|
Comfort, A. 1956. The Biology of Senescence. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul
|
|
|
Deary, I.J., S.E. Harris, H.C. Fox, C. Hayward, A.F. Wright, J.M. Starr and L.J. Whalley. 2005. KLOTHO genotype and cognitive ability in childhood and old age in the same individuals. Neuroscience Letters 378(1): 22-27
|
|
|
Deary, I.J.P., L. Penke and W. Johnson. 2010. The neuroscience of human intelligence differences. Nature Reviews Neuroscience 11: 201-211
|
|
|
Doblhammer, G. 2000. Reproductive history and mortality later in life: a comparative study of England and Wales and Austria. Population Studies 54(2): 169-176
|
|
|
Doblhammer, G. and J. Oeppen. 2003. Reproduction and longevity among the British peerage: the effect of frailty and health selection. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 270(1524): 1541-1547
|
|
|
Dykstra, P.A. and G.O. Hagestad. 2007. Childlessness and parenthood in two centuries: different roads – different maps? Journal of Family Issues 28(11): 1518-1532
|
|
|
Emery, C.F., R.L. Schein, E.R. Hauck and N.R. MacIntyre. 1998. Psychological and cognitive outcomes of a randomized trial of exercise among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Health Psychology 17(3): 232-240
|
|
|
Engelhardt, H., I. Buber-Ennser, V. Skirbekk and A. Fürnkranz-Prskawetz. 2010. Social engagement, behavioural risks and cognitive functioning among the aged. Ageing & Society 30(5): 779-809
|
|
|
Fabrigoule, C., L. Letenneur, J. Dartigues, M. Zarrouk, D. Commenges and P. Barberger- Gateau. 1995. Social and leisure activities and risk of dementia: a prospective longitudinal study. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 43(5): 485-490
|
|
|
Finkel, D., R. Andel, M. Gatz and N.L. Pedersen. 2009. The role of occupational complexity in trajectories of cognitive aging before and after retirement. Psychology and Aging 24(3): 563-573
|
|
|
Fischer, C.S. 1982. To Dwell Among Friends: Personal Networks in Town and City. Chicago: University of Chicago Press
|
|
|
Fratiglioni, L., H. Wang, K. Ericsson, M. Maytan and B. Winblad. 2000. The influence of social network on the occurrence of dementia: a community-based longitudinal study. Lancet 355(9212): 1315-1319
|
|
|
Fratiglioni, L., S. Paillard-Borg and B. Winblad. 2004. An active and socially integrated lifestyle in late life might protect against dementia. Lancet Neurology 3(6): 343-353
|
|
|
Gerstel, N. and S.K. Gallagher. 1993. Kin keeping and distress: Gender, recipients of care, and work-family conflict. Journal of Marriage and Family 55(3): 598-607
|
|
|
Glisky, E.L., M.R. Polster and B.C. Routhieaux. 1995. Double dissociation between item and source memory. Neuropsychology 9(2): 229-235
|
|
|
Gruenewald, T., A. Karlamangla, G. Greendale, et al. 2007. Feelings of usefulness to others, disability, and mortality in older adults: the MacArthur Study of Successful Aging. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences 62(1): P28-P37
|
|
|
Grundy, E. and C. Tomassini. 2005. Fertility history and health in later life: a record linkage study in England and Wales. Social Science & Medicine 61(1): 217-228
|
|
|
Grundy, E. and G. Holt. 2000. Adult life experiences and health in early old age in Great Britain. Social Science & Medicine 51(7): 1061-1074
|
|
|
Grundy, E. and O. Kravdal. 2008. Reproductive history and mortality in late middle age among Norwegian men and women. American Journal of Epidemiology 167(3): 271-279
|
|
|
Gwozdz, W. and A. Sousa-Poza. 2010. Ageing, health and life satisfaction of the oldest old: an analysis for Germany. Social Indicators Research 97(3): 397-417
|
|
|
Hauser, R.M. and C.L. Roan. 2007. Work complexity and cognitive functioning at midlife: cross-validating the Kohn-Schooler hypothesis in an American cohort. CDE Working Paper 2007-08. Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin, Center for Demography and Ecology
|
|
|
Hertzog, C. 2008. Theoretical approaches to the study of cognitive aging: An individual differences perspective. In Handbook of Cognitive Aging, ed. S.M. Hofer and D.F. Alwin, 34-49. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications
|
|
|
Hertzog, C., A.F. Kramer, R.S. Wilson and U. Lindenberger. 2009. Enrichment effects on adult cognitive development. Psychological Science in the Public Interest 9(1): 1-65
|
|
|
Johnson-Lans, S. and F. Bellemore. 1997. Gender and race as factors in health care utilization. International Advances in Economic Research 3(2): 193-205
|
|
|
Jopp, D. and C. Hertzog. 2007. Activities, self-referent memory beliefs, and cognitive performance: Evidence for direct and mediated effects. Psychology and Aging 22(4): 811-825
|
|
|
Kalmijn, M. and P. Dykstra. 2006. Differentials in face-to-face contact between parents and their grown-up children. In Family Solidarity in the Netherlands, ed. P.A. Dykstra, M. Kalmijn, T.C.M. Knijn, A.E. Komter, A.C. Liefbroer and C.H. Mulder, 63-88. Amsterdam: Dutch University Press
|
|
|
Kendig, H., P.A. Dykstra, R.I. van Gaalen and T. Melkas. 2007. Health of aging parents and childless individuals. Journal of Family Issues 28(11): 1457-1486
|
|
|
Kiernan, K. 1988. Who remains celibate? Journal of Biosocial Science 20(3): 253-263
|
|
|
Kiernan, K. 1989. Who remains childless? Journal of Biosocial Science 21(4): 387-398
|
|
|
Kirkwood, T. and M. Rose. 1991. Evolution of senescence: late survival sacrificed for reproduction. Philosophical Transactions: Biological Sciences 332(1262): 15-24
|
|
|
Kramer, A.F. and S.L. Willis. 2002. Enhancing the cognitive vitality of older adults. Current Directions in Psychological Science 11(5): 173-177
|
|
|
Kramer, A.F. and S.L. Willis. 2003. Cognitive plasticity and aging. In The Psychology of Learning and Motivation, ed.! B.H. Ross, 267-302. San Diego, CA: Academic Press
|
|
|
Le Carret, N., S. Laffont, W. Mayo and C. Fabrigoule. 2003. The effect of education on cognitive performances and its implication for the constitution of the cognitive reserve. Developmental Neuropsychology 23(3): 317-337
|
|
|
Lee, S., I. Kawachi, L.F. Berkman and F. Grodstein. 2003. Education, other socioeconomic indicators, and cognitive function. American Journal of Epidemiology 157(8): 712-720
|
|
|
Lowenthal, M.J. and C. Haven. 1968. Interaction and adaptation: intimacy as a critical variable. American Sociological Review 33(1): 20-30
|
|
|
Luszcz, M., J. Bryan and P. Kent. 1997. Predicting episodic memory performance of very old men and women: Contribution from age, depression, activity, cognitive ability, and speed. Psychology and Aging 12(2): 340-351
|
|
|
Lutz, W. and S. Scherbov. 2008. Exploratory extension of IIASAs population projections: scenarios to 2300. IIASA Interim Report IR-08-022. International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis: Laxenburg, Austria
|
|
|
Macintyre, S., K. Hunt and H. Sweeting. 1996. Gender differences in health: are things really as simple as they seem? Social Science and Medicine 42(4): 617-624
|
|
|
Mazzonna, F. and F. Peracchi. 2012. Ageing, cognitive abilities and retirement. European Economic Review 56(4): 691-710
|
|
|
McLay, R.N., P.M. Maki and C.G. Lyketsos. 2003. Nulliparity and late menopause are associated with decreased cognitive decline. The Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences 15(2): 161-167
|
|
|
Miller, L.M.S. and M.E. Lachman. 2000. Cognitive performance and the role of control beliefs in midlife. Aging, Neuropsychology, and Cognition 7(2): 69-85
|
|
|
Nappi, R.E, E. Sinforiani, M. Mauri, et al. 1999. Memory functioning at menopause: impact of age in ovariectomized women. Gynecologic and Obstetric Investigation 47(1): 29-36
|
|
|
Oberauer, K., H.-M. Suess, R. Schulze, O. Wilhelm and W.W. Wittmann. 2000. Working memory capacity-facets of a cognitive ability construct. Personality and Individual Differences 29(6): 1017-1045
|
|
|
O´Donovan, M.C. and M.J. Owen. 2009. Genetics and the brain: many pathways to enlightenment. Human Genetics 126(1): 1-2
|
|
|
Pedersen, N.L., R. Plomin, J. Nesselroade and G.E. McClearn. 1992. A quantitative genetic analysis of cognitive abilities during the second half of the life span. Psychological Science 3 (6): 346-352
|
|
|
Richards, M. and S.L. Hatch. 2011. A life course approach to the development of mental skills. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences 66B(suppl 1): i26-i35
|
|
|
Rossi, A.S. and P.H. Rossi. 1990. Of Human Bonding, Parent-Child Relations Across the Life Course. New York: Aldine de Gruyter
|
|
|
Salthouse, T.A. 2010. Selective review of cognitive aging. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society 16 (5): 754-760
|
|
|
Scarmeas, N. and Y. Stern. 2003. Cognitive reserve and lifestyle. Journal of Clinical & Experimental Neuropsychology 25(5): 625-663
|
|
|
Schaie, K.W. and S.M. Hofer. 2001. Longitudinal studies in research on aging. In Handbook of the Psychology of Aging, ed. J.E. Birren and K.W. Schaie, 53-77. San Diego, CA: Academic Press
|
|
|
Seeman, T., T. Lusignolo, M. Albert and L. Berkman. 2001. Social relationships, social support, and patterns of cognitive aging in healthy, high-functioning older adults: MacArthur Studies of Successful Aging. Health Psychology 20(4): 243-255
|
|
|
Silverstein, M., D. Gans, D. and F.M. Yang. 2006. Intergenerational support to aging parents: the role of norms and needs. Journal of Family Issues 27(8): 1068-1084
|
|
|
Silverstein, M., X. Chen and K. Heller. 1996. Too much of a good thing? Intergenerational social support and the psychological well-being of older parents. Journal of Marriage and Family 58(4): 970-982
|
|
|
Skirbekk, V. 2008. Fertility trends by social status. Demographic Research 18(5): 145-180
|
|
|
Skirbekk, V., D. Weber and V. Bordone. 2012. National variation in cognitive life cycle development. IIASA Interim Report IR-11-028. International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis: Laxenburg, Austria
|
|
|
Smith, C.A., C.A. McCleary, G.A. Murdock, et al. 1999. Lifelong estrogen exposure and cognitive performance in elderly women. Brain and Cognition 39(3): 203-218
|
|
|
Spiro, A. and C.B. Brady. 2008. Integrating health into cognitive aging research and theory: quo vadis? In Handbook of Cognitive Aging: Interdisciplinary Perspectives, ed. S.M. Hofer and D.F. Alwin, 260-283. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications
|
|
|
Tomassini, C., S. Kalogirou, E. Grundy, T. Fokkema, P. Martikainen, M. Broese van Groenou and A. Karisto. 2004. Contacts between elderly parents and their children in four European countries: current patterns and future prospects. European Journal of Ageing 1(1): 54-63
|
|
|
Tuong Nguyen, C., M.-C. Couture, B. Alvarado and M. Zunzunegui. 2008. Life course socioeconomic disadvantage and cognitive function among the elderly population of seven capitals in Latin America and the Caribbean. Journal of Aging and Health 20(3): 347-362
|
|
|
Umberson, D. 1992. Gender, marital status, and the social control of health behavior. Social Science and Medicine 34(8): 907-917
|
|
|
Verbrugge, L. 1985. Gender and health: an update on hypotheses and evidence. Journal of Health and Social Behavior 26(3): 156-182
|
|
|
Verhaegen, P. and T.A. Salthouse. 1997. Meta-analyses of age cognition relations in adulthood. Estimates of linear and nonlinear age effects and structural models. Psychological Bulletin 122(3): 231-249
|
|
|
West, R.L. and M.S. Yassuda. 2004. Aging and memory control beliefs: performance in relation to goal setting and memory self-evaluation. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences 59(2): P56-P65
|
|
|
Wethington, E., J.D. McLeod and R.C. Kessler. 1987. The importance of life events for explaining sex differences in psychological distress. In Gender and Stress, ed. R.C. Barnett, L. Biener, and G.K. Baruch, 144-156. New York: The Free Press
|
|
|
Whalley, L.J. and I.J. Deary. 2001. Longitudinal cohort study of childhood IQ and survival up to age 76. British Medical Journal 322(7290): 819-822
|
|
|
Wheaton, B. 1985. Personal resources and mental health: can there be too much of a good thing? In Research in Community and Mental Health, ed. J.R. Greenley, 139-184. Greenwich, CT: Jai Press
|
|
|
Willis, S.L., S.L. Tennstedt, M. Marsiske, K. Ball, J. Elias, K.M. Koepke, et al. 2006. Long-term effects of cognitive training on everyday functional outcomes in older adults. Journal of the American Medical Association 296(23): 2805-2814
|
|
|
Yount, K.M. 2008. Gender, resources across the life course, and cognitive functioning in Egypt. Demography 45(4): 907-926
|
|
|
Zamarro, G., E. Meijer and M. Fernandes. 2008. Mental health and cognitive ability. In First results from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (2004- 2007). Starting the longitudinal dimension, ed. A. Börsch-Supan, A. Brugiavini, H. Jürges, A. Kapteyn, et al., 40-47. Mannheim: Mannheim Research Institute for the Economics of Aging (MEA)
|
Home
Order
Print
References
Share
