Bell, Sherrin (2020) Investigating how age, gender, and non-manipulated affect states influence cognitive inhibition. Honours thesis, University of Southern Queensland. (Unpublished)
Abstract
The growth in Australia’s ageing population has the potential to burden our already struggling health care system. Historically, ageing has been associated with numerous negative perceptions including frailty, illness, burden and cognitive decline. However, it need not be treated as such because healthy ageing can bring about functional independence, purposefulness and richness in experience. However, to achieve this ambition older adults need to maintain their functional independence, adaptability and physical and mental health. The current study aimed to examine the predictors influencing ageing on cognitive inhibition including gender and non-manipulated affect states and the factors that moderate these influences using empirically validated methods. This study used Balte’s (1987) Life Course theory and the Circumplex Model of affect as an overarching theoretical framework. A sample of 314 Australian adults completed an online self-report instrument that assessed their non-manipulated affect state and the computerized colour word Stroop Task to assess inhibition response. Results were mixed and the correlational analysis revealed weak to strong associations among age, positive and negative affect states and cognitive interference. A standard multiple regression analyses supported the hypothesis, that age and negative affect state was the strongest predictor of cognitive interference. Consistent with the hypotheses older adults showed significantly higher levels of Stroop Interference than younger adults. Higher levels of Stroop interference were predicted by older age and self-reported negative affect state. Findings indicated that older adults are a vulnerable population group with decreasing levels of cognitive function and higher levels of negative affect state that increases with age. Implications are discussed, including the need to design appropriate programs to bolster healthy ageing across the life course.
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| Item Type: | Thesis (Non-Research) (Honours) |
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| Item Status: | Live Archive |
| Additional Information: | Current UniSQ staff and students can request access to this thesis. Please email research.repository@unisq.edu.au with a subject line of SEAR thesis request and provide: Name of the thesis requested and Your name and UniSQ email address |
| Faculty/School / Institute/Centre: | Historic - Faculty of Health, Engineering and Sciences - School of Psychology and Counselling (1 Jan 2015 - 31 Dec 2021) |
| Supervisors: | Michael Ireland |
| Date Deposited: | 24 Jun 2025 01:30 |
| Last Modified: | 24 Jun 2025 01:30 |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Cognitive inhibition; executive function; emotion; positive affect; negative affect. ageing, life course theory, Stroop interference, healthy ageing, |
| Fields of Research (2008): | 17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 1799 Other Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 179999 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences not elsewhere classified |
| Fields of Research (2020): | 52 PSYCHOLOGY > 5299 Other psychology > 529999 Other psychology not elsewhere classified |
| URI: | https://sear.unisq.edu.au/id/eprint/52153 |
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