Cognitive abilities predict how well people manage their emotional responses

A recent study has found that accumulated life knowledge and cognitive abilities play a significant role in how adults manage their emotional responses. The research, published in the journal Emotion, reveals that while older adults may struggle to dampen negative emotions such as disgust and sadness, they maintain the ability to boost positive emotions like amusement and contentment.

Researchers divided mental abilities into two categories: fluid cognition and crystallized cognition. Fluid cognition, which includes processing speed, working memory, and attention shift, peaks in early adulthood and slowly declines with age. Crystallized cognition, on the other hand, represents the knowledge and skills acquired over a lifetime, including vocabulary and reading comprehension, which remain stable or even grow in older adults.

The study, led by Dr. Claire M. Growney of Stanford University, examined how aging and cognitive abilities are linked to emotion regulation. They recruited 286 adults aged 25 to 85 from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds and free of cognitive impairment. Participants first underwent tests to assess their cognitive abilities, measuring processing speed, cognitive flexibility, and memory for fluid cognition, and reading and vocabulary for crystallized cognition.

They then participated in a laboratory emotion regulation task, watching short film clips that elicit specific emotions such as disgust, sadness, amusement, and contentment. Participants were instructed to react naturally during the initial phase to establish a baseline for their emotional reactions. In the second phase, they were given explicit instructions to regulate their feelings, either to reduce negative emotions or enhance positive ones.

The researchers used AI software to analyze participants' facial expressions, providing a behavioral measure of their emotion regulation success. The results showed that participants with higher scores on crystallized cognition tests were more successful in regulating their emotions, whether trying to reduce negative feelings or amplify positive ones.

This advantage was evident in both self-reported feelings and computer-analyzed facial expressions. The researchers suggest that a wealth of life experiences and vocabulary provide individuals with a broader range of strategies to manage their emotions, enabling them to select the appropriate mental tool for each situation. In contrast, fluid cognition was only associated with success in specific scenarios.

Participants with higher fluid cognitive abilities were better at reducing negative emotions when watching clips of disgust and sadness. This quick, flexible thinking may be necessary for dampening negative emotions, which often require rapidly shifting attention away from distressing information or reframing the situation mentally.