Does our cognitive empathy diminish with age? The moderator role of educational level
Metadata
Show full item recordEditorial
Cambridge University Press
Materia
Cognitive empathy Eyes text Age Educational level Theory of mind
Date
2021-06-03Referencia bibliográfica
Gutiérrez-Cobo, M... [et al.] (2021). Does our cognitive empathy diminish with age? The moderator role of educational level. International Psychogeriatrics, 1-8. doi:[10.1017/S1041610221000624]
Sponsorship
Autism Research Trust; Wellcome Trust; Templeton World Charitable Foundation; NIHR Biomedical Research Centre in Cambridge; Innovative Medicines Initiative 2 Joint Undertaking (JU) 777394; European Commission; EFPIA; AUTISM SPEAKS; Autistica; SFARI; National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care East of England at Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation TrustAbstract
Introduction: The literature has demonstrated how the relationship between cognitive or emotional intelligence
and age exhibits an inverted-U-shape and that this decline can be mitigated by an individual’s cognitive reserve
(CR). Rather less is known, however, about the pattern of changes in cognitive empathy or the ability to
recognize the thoughts or feelings of others.
Objectives: The aim of the present study was firstly to analyze the effect of age, gender, and CR (measured
through educational level), on the capacity to show cognitive empathy. Secondly, we aimed to evaluate what
type of relationship—linear or quadratic—exists between age and cognitive empathy. We finally aimed to
analyze the moderator role of educational level on the relationship between age and cognitive empathy.
Participants: Totally, 902 Spanish adults aged between 18 and 79 years (M= 43.53, SD = 11.86; 57% women).
Measurements: Participants were asked to indicate their educational level (primary, high school, or college
education) and their cognitive empathy was assessed using the Eyes test.
Results: Women scored higher than men on cognitive empathy. Participants with a college education had higher
scores on cognitive empathy than those with a lower educational level. Additionally, the relationship between age
and cognitive empathy fit an inverted-U-shaped curve, consistent with the data found for cognitive and emotional
intelligence. Finally, the age-related decrease in cognitive empathy appeared to be mitigated by a higher
educational level, but only in those individuals aged 35 years and above. Limitations and clinical implications
are discussed.