X-Message-Number: 30442
From: David Stodolsky <>
Subject: An Engagement Model of Cognitive Optimization Through Adultho...
Date: Sat, 9 Feb 2008 09:41:37 +0100

The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and  
Social Sciences 62:62-69 (2007)
  2007 The Gerontological Society of America

RESEARCH ARTICLE

An Engagement Model of Cognitive Optimization Through Adulthood
Elizabeth A. L. Stine-Morrow, Jeanine M. Parisi, Daniel G. Morrow,  
Jennifer Greene and Denise C. Park
University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign.

Address correspondence to Elizabeth A. L. Stine-Morrow, Department of  
Educational Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign,  
226 Education Building, 1310 South Sixth St., Champaign, IL  
61820-6990. E-mail: 

The engagement hypothesis suggests that social and intellectual  
engagement may buffer age-related declines in intellectual  
functioning. At the same time, some have argued that social structures  
that afford opportunities for intellectual engagement throughout the  
life span have lagged behind the demographic shift toward an expanding  
older population. Against this backdrop, we developed the Senior  
Odyssey, an existing team-based program of creative problem solving.  
We tested the engagement hypothesis in a field experiment. Relative to  
controls, Senior Odyssey participants showed improved speed of  
processing, marginally improved divergent thinking, and higher levels  
of mindfulness and need for cognition after the program. This pilot  
translational project suggests that the Senior Odyssey program may  
serve as one effective model of engagement with good scaling-up  
potential.



dss

David Stodolsky    Skype: davidstodolsky

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