The association of educational attainment, cognitive level of job, and leisure activities during the course of adulthood with cognitive performance in old age: the role of openness to experience

Ihle, Andreas; Oris, Michel; Fagot, Delphine; Maggiori, Christian; Kliegel, Matthias · 2015 · OpenAlex-citations

DOI: 10.1017/s1041610215001933

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Summary

This study investigates the mechanisms linking personality traits to cognitive performance in old age, specifically examining whether the relationship between openness to experience and cognitive functioning is mediated by lifelong engagement in cognitively stimulating activities. While higher educational attainment, cognitively demanding occupations, and stimulating leisure activities are known to correlate with better cognitive outcomes in later life, the interplay between these lifestyle factors and personality dimensions like openness to experience remains unclear. The authors aim to determine if individuals high in openness to experience maintain cognitive reserve by engaging more frequently in such activities throughout adulthood, thereby enhancing their cognitive performance in old age. The research utilized data from the Vivre-Leben-Vivere survey, involving 2,812 cognitively healthy older adults in Switzerland (mean age 77.9 years). Cognitive performance was assessed using psychometric tests for verbal abilities (Mill Hill Vocabulary Scale) and processing speed (Trail Making Test Part A). Participants were retrospectively interviewed regarding their educational attainment, the cognitive level of their first and last professions, and engagement in 18 specific leisure activities during mid-life. Openness to experience was measured using two items from the Big Five Inventory. The study employed path analysis to test mediation models, evaluating whether educational attainment, job cognitive level, and leisure activities mediated the effect of openness on cognitive performance. Additionally, moderation analyses were conducted to test for interactive effects between openness and activity engagement. The results demonstrated that openness to experience was significantly associated with higher educational attainment, higher cognitive levels of occupation, and greater engagement in leisure activities. Crucially, the effect of openness to experience on cognitive functioning was mediated by these lifestyle factors. Specifically, approximately 35% of the effect of openness on verbal abilities and 35% on processing speed were exerted indirectly through educational attainment. Similarly, about 36–39% of the effect was mediated by the cognitive level of the first and last jobs, and 15–22% was mediated by the number of leisure activities. Alternative moderation models, which tested for interactive effects between openness and activity engagement, did not provide a better fit for the data than the mediation models. These findings support the hypothesis that openness to experience contributes to cognitive reserve indirectly. Individuals with high openness are likely to pursue more stimulating educational, occupational, and leisure activities throughout their lives, which in turn preserves and enhances cognitive functioning in old age. The study concludes that the link between personality and cognition is not direct but is channeled through behavioral engagement in cognitively enriching environments. This underscores the importance of considering lifelong activity patterns when explaining interindividual differences in cognitive aging.

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• cognitive capacity variation