The Ups and Downs of Cognitive Function: Neuroticism and Negative Affect Drive Performance Inconsistency.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

Response time inconsistency (RTI)-or trial-to-trial variability in speeded performance-is increasingly recognized as an indicator of transient lapses of attention, cognitive health status, and central nervous system integrity, as well as a potential early indicator of normal and pathological cognitive aging. Comparatively, little research has examined personality predictors of RTI across adulthood.

Methods

We evaluated the association between the personality trait neuroticism and RTI in a community-dwelling sample of 317 adults between the ages of 19-83 and tested for two indirect pathways through negative affect (NA) and cognitive interference (CI).

Results

The personality trait neuroticism predicted greater RTI independent of mean response time performanc

SUBMITTER: Munoz E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7179809 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature