Click on the following links. Please note these will open in a new window.

Journal Article 17.1: Zampieri, M., & de Souza, E. A. P. (2011). Locus of control, depression, and quality of life in Parkinson’s disease. Journal of Health Psychology, 16, 980–987.

Learning Objective: 17.3 Summarize common dementias including characteristics, risk and protective factors, and treatment.

Abstract: People can attribute the source of control of events that involve them either to internal or external factors. Through this view, depression can be defined as a belief that one’s own behavior is not effective. In case of chronic diseases, such as Parkinson’s Disease, depression is more frequent than in the general population. The present study aimed to assess locus of control orientation and its relation with depression and quality of life in 30 patients with Parkinson’s Disease. Results showed positive correlation between external locus orientation and depression and quality of life scores, and negative correlation between internal orientation and depression.

Journal Article 17.2: Koppel, J., & Rubin, D. C. (2016). Recent advances in understanding the reminiscence bump: The importance of cues in guiding recall from autobiographical memory. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 25, 135–140.

Learning Objective: 17.4 Analyze patterns of cognitive change in late adulthood.

Abstract: The reminiscence bump is the increased proportion of autobiographical memories from youth and early adulthood observed in adults over 40. It is one of the most robust findings in autobiographical-memory research. Although described as a single period from which there are more memories, a recent meta-analysis that reported the beginning and ending ages of the bump from individual studies found that different classes of cues produce distinct bumps that vary in size and temporal location. The bump obtained in response to cue words is both smaller and located earlier in the life span than the bump obtained when important memories are requested. The bump obtained in response to odor cues is even earlier. This variation in the size and temporal location of the reminiscence bump argues for theories based primarily on retrieval rather than encoding and retention, which most current theories stress. Furthermore, it points to the need to develop theories of autobiographical memory that account for this flexibility in the memories retrieved.

Journal Article 17.3: Worthy, D. A., Gorlick, M. A., Pacheco, J. L., & Schnyer, D. M., et al. (2011). With age comes wisdom: Decision making in younger and older adults. Psychological Science, 22, 1375–1380.

Learning Objective: 17.4 Analyze patterns of cognitive change in late adulthood.

Abstract: In two experiments, younger and older adults performed decision-making tasks in which reward values available were either independent of or dependent on the previous sequence of choices made. The choice-independent task involved learning and exploiting the options that gave the highest rewards on each trial. In this task, the stability of the expected reward for each option was not influenced by the previous choices participants made. The choice-dependent task involved learning how each choice influenced future rewards for two options and making the best decisions based on that knowledge. Younger adults performed better when rewards were independent of choice, whereas older adults performed better when rewards were dependent on choice. These findings suggest a fundamental difference in the way in which younger adults and older adults approach decision-making situations. We discuss the results in the context of prominent decision-making theories and offer possible explanations based on neurobiological and behavioral changes associated with aging.