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The Positivity Effect in Memory in Older Adults with Subjective Cognitive Decline: A Comparison with the Normal Elderly and the Patients with Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment

  • THE KOREAN JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY
  • 2019, 32(4), pp.21-42
  • DOI : 10.35574/KJDP.2019.12.32.4.21
  • Publisher : The Korean Society For Developmental Psychology
  • Research Area : Social Science > Psychological Science
  • Received : October 15, 2019
  • Accepted : November 23, 2019
  • Published : December 15, 2019

Hyun Ho Lee 1 YEONWOOK KANG ORD ID 2

1한림대학교성심병원 신경과
2한림대학교 심리학과

Accredited

ABSTRACT

Although the cognitive and neurophysiological characteristics of SCD are known to be different from those of the normal elderly, the study of the emotional characteristics in SCD is rare. In old age, affective optimization characteristics that maximize positive emotions and avoid negative emotions appear to achieve emotional stability. This leads to a positivity effect that attends and memorizes positive stimuli rather than negative stimuli. The present study investigated the positivity effect for memory in older adults with SCD compared with those of normal elderly and patients with amnestic MCI (aMCI). Thirty normal elderly (NE) people (74.00±7.86 years), 29 elderly individuals with SCD (73.24±6.69 years), and 24 aMCI (75.00±6.09 years) participated in the study. All participants were presented with a computerized picture and word stimuli with three valence values (positive, negative, and neutral) respectively, and performed immediate and delayed recalls. Overall, the positivity effects were observed in the picture and word stimuli in the NE group. In the SCD group, however, positivity effect was observed in neither picture nor word stimuli; EME was observed with picture stimuli. The aMCI group did not show EME in either stimulus condition. In sum, these results suggest that emotional regulation are already impaired in older adults with SCD. Therefore, early intervention is needed for the SCD.

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