Abstract
Social cognition is related to the so-called “Theory of the mind” and refers to the ability to understand the behavior of other people. It plays a transcendental role in the social relations cohesion. Knowing whether normal aging is associated with deficiencies in social understanding is a problem in characterizing the changes that occur in adulthood. The aim of this study was to examine whether the social cognition of the elderly is mediated by factors such as working memory, physical activity, body composition, or age, in elderly people. Sixty volunteers (mean age, 71.50 ± 4.84 years) were recruited from various locations in Malaga. Recognition of emotional expression, working memory, body composition, and physical activity were evaluated. Our results show that performance in emotion recognition is not affected by age in the range studied. Furthermore, we have not found a relationship with any of the body composition parameters. However, a significant relationship with performance in working memory has been revealed, as well as a significant relationship between vigorous/very vigorous physical activity and working memory. Therefore, physical activity could be positively related to the recognition of emotions by positively influencing working memory.
Highlights
“Social Intelligence” or “Social Cognition” are terms directly related to the so-called “Theory of Mind” (ToM) and refer to the ability to understand and predict the behavior of other people, their knowledge, their intentions, their emotions, and their beliefs [1]
Age; WM: working memory; Reading the Mind in the Eyes test (RMET) DIFF: reading the mind in the eyes test weighted for difficulty; LPA:, Light Physical Activity; MPA: Moderate Physical Activity; VPA: Vigorous Physical Activity; very vigorous PA (VVPA): Very Vigorous Physical Activity; MVPA: Moderate and Vigorous Physical Activity; LEAN: Lean Mass (Kg); MASS (Kg); %FAT; BMD: Bone Mineral Density (g/cm2)
This study aimed to help the understanding of the influence that some factors have on social cognition of the elderly indexed in the facial recognition of emotions
Summary
“Social Intelligence” or “Social Cognition” are terms directly related to the so-called “Theory of Mind” (ToM) and refer to the ability to understand and predict the behavior of other people, their knowledge, their intentions, their emotions, and their beliefs [1]. Thereby, when we refer to ToM, we talk about a complex system of metacognitive skills directed at knowing the contents of the cognitive system of others [6] These skills are studied and evaluated at various levels: first- and second-order beliefs, social use of language, social behavior and empathy, and facial recognition of emotions and decoding of mental states only from information of the eyes. Emotional facial recognition is affected by age, context, and some characteristics of cognitive and neuronal development, and the incorrect interpretation of emotions is related to interpersonal and social problems, low social functioning, and inappropriate social behaviors [8,9] Within this set of complex metacognitive skills, emotional expression is studied through the gaze. The ability to read or interpret the others’ eyes, or “read the mind in the eyes” (RME), is a key component in the study and evaluation of ToM [10]
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