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Social Psychology and Society
2015. Vol. 6, no. 4, 60–77
https://doi.org/10.17759/sps.2015060405
ISSN: 2221-1527 / 2311-7052 (online)

Features of Social Cognition in Late Adulthood

 
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Abstract

The paper presents outcomes of researches on the central component of social cognition — theory of mind in late adulthood. The outcomes show that, in normal aging, in advanced adulthood (55—74 years) as well as in old age (75—90 years) there are several qualitative changes in the affective (understanding and differentiation of emotions) and cognitive (understanding irony and deceit) components of theory of mind. Also, at these ages individuals may develop various forms of theory of mind deficits. They may encounter difficulties with reading facial expressions and recognizing other people’s emotions. It becomes harder for them to recognize negative emotions (such as sorrow, fear, anger) than positive ones (joy). The paper describes features of pragmatic interpretation of events and understanding of deceit and irony in late adulthood.

General Information

Keywords: social cognition, theory of mind, theory of mind deficit, understanding emotions, understanding irony, understanding deceit, late adulthood

Journal rubric: Experimental Research

OpenAlex citations: 4

OpenAlex topics: Technology and Human Factors in Education and Health, Psychology of Development and Education, Discourse Analysis and Cultural Communication

Information about the work in OpenAlex

Number of citations: 4

Topics

Technology and Human Factors in Education and Health

This cluster of papers explores the future of personalized medicine in healthcare, focusing on topics such as artificial intelligence, healthcare technology, medical innovation, ergonomics, biomedical signal analysis, digital health, cyber-physical systems, healthcare automation, and clinical decision support. The papers cover a wide range of interdisciplinary research related to advancing personalized medical treatments and technologies.

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Psychology of Development and Education

This cluster of papers explores various aspects of psychology in education, focusing on topics such as the Zone of Proximal Development, inclusive education, cultural-historical theory, educational environment, psychological well-being, teacher training, learning motivation, adolescent development, social cognition, and digital learning. The papers delve into the intersection of psychology and education to understand the developmental processes and challenges in educational settings.

Number of works: 77596  |  Total number of citations: 232137

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Discourse Analysis and Cultural Communication

This cluster of papers focuses on discourse analysis, cultural communication patterns, and language use in the context of the pandemic. It explores topics such as media representation, persuasion strategies, linguistic aspects of pandemics, and the impact of social media on language and culture.

Number of works: 106302  |  Total number of citations: 88051

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Work details in OpenAlex

Article type: research article

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17759/sps.2015060405

Published

For citation: Melehin, A., Sergienko, E.A. (2015). Features of Social Cognition in Late Adulthood. Social Psychology and Society, 6(4), 60–77. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.17759/sps.2015060405

© Melehin A., Sergienko E.A., 2015

License: CC BY-NC 4.0

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Information About the Authors

Aleksey Melehin, Candidate of Science (Psychology), Associate professor, Stolypin Humanitarian Institute, clinical psychologist of the highest qualification category, somnologist, cognitive behavioral psychotherapist, Moscow, Russian Federation, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5633-7639, e-mail: clinmelehin@yandex.ru

Elena A. Sergienko, Doctor of Psychology, Professor, Principal researcher, Laboratory of Psychology of the development of the subject in normal and post-traumatic states, Institute of Psychology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russian Federation, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4068-9116, e-mail: elenas13@mail.ru

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