Motivation-Cognition Interactions in Aging: Age Differences in Determinants and Consequences of Epistemic Curiosity

The first goal of this dissertation was to synthesize the literature on aging and motivated cognition to understand how different cognitive domains are influenced by the interaction between age and different aspects of motivation (e.g., extrinsic vs. socioemotional incentives). This aim was addressed in Study 1, a meta-analysis of the interaction between age and motivation in studies of cognitive control and memory. Results revealed a domain-specific age difference moderated by the nature of the motivational incentive. For memory only, older adults were more sensitive to socioemotional rewards than younger adults, who were more sensitive to financial rewards. The second goal of this dissertation was to explore in more depth a specific type of socioemotional incentive and its effects on cognition in younger and older adults. This aim was addressed by Studies 2 and 3, which focused on determinants and consequences of epistemic curiosity. The experiments in Study 2 (total N = 514) examined age differences in determinants of curiosity and curiosity-driven information seeking. Results indicated that social and practical value influence curiosity and information seeking in both age groups. Older adults were attracted by information with high social value and high practical value for society. By contrast, younger adults avoided information with low social value and were attracted by information with high practical value for themselves. Study 3 (N = 102) probed the link between cumulative stress-cognition relationship. Study 3 collected new data using comprehensive measurements of cumulative stress severity across the lifespan, lifestyle behaviours, and cognitive function. This study found that a healthy lifestyle score moderated the relationship between stress severity at different life stages and cognitive function by buffering the association between early life stress and cognitive function and enhancing resilience to the associations between midlife and late life stress and cognitive function. Together, this program of research contributes to our understanding of stress resiliency in the context of cognitive aging using a life course perspective, and sheds light on a number of methodological considerations in the field of stress and cognitive health.