Impact of grandchildren on episodic memory and future-time perspective of older adults.

This study was designed to investigate the effects of aging in episodic memory and future-time perspective. More specifically, we investigated the impact of grandchildren at encoding on future-time perspective and free recall in older adults. We asked younger and older adults to imagine being strand...

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Published in:Memory & Cognition Vol. 54; no. 1; pp. 73 - 85
Main Authors: Bruno, Laetitia, Bonin, Patrick, Thiebaut, Gaëtan, Bugaïska, Aurélia
Format: Article
Published: Springer Nature Jan2026
Subjects:
Online Access:View this record in EBSCOhost
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      dt: Jan2026
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        10.3758/s13421-025-01739-4
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        atl: Impact of grandchildren on episodic memory and future-time perspective of older adults.
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        au:
          Bruno, Laetitia
          Bonin, Patrick
          Thiebaut, Gaëtan
          Bugaïska, Aurélia
        affil: https://ror.org/00g700j37 CNRS LEAD UMR5022, Université Bourgogne Europe, BP 26513, Pôle AAFE – Esplanade Erasme, 21000, Dijon, France
      su:
        Episodic memory
        Aging
        Analysis of variance
        Cognition
        Old age
        T-test (Statistics)
        Statistical hypothesis testing
        Descriptive statistics
        Neuropsychological tests
        Confidence intervals
        Data analysis software
      sug:
        subj:
          Episodic memory
          Aging
          Analysis of variance
          Cognition
          Old age
          T-test (Statistics)
          Statistical hypothesis testing
          Descriptive statistics
          Neuropsychological tests
          Confidence intervals
          Data analysis software
      keyword:
        Adaptive cognition
        Grandchildren
        Offspring
        Psychology and Cognitive Sciences Psychology
        Time perspective
        Adaptive cognition
        Grandchildren
        Offspring
        Psychology and Cognitive Sciences Psychology
        Time perspective
      ab: This study was designed to investigate the effects of aging in episodic memory and future-time perspective. More specifically, we investigated the impact of grandchildren at encoding on future-time perspective and free recall in older adults. We asked younger and older adults to imagine being stranded in the grasslands of a foreign land without any basic survival items, and to consider either their personal survival or (older adults only) that of their grandchildren. Among the older adults, compared with a pleasantness (control) condition, a survival processing advantage was observed in the grandchild-survival condition, which differed reliably from the personal-survival condition. Furthermore, encouraging the older participants to think about their grandchildren eliminated the differences between older and younger adults on future-time perspective. Having grandchildren seems to serve an adaptive function in old age. Their presence enhances memory performance and seems to enable older adults to cope with their limited life perspective. In line with motivational theories of aging, these results provide valuable insights, opening up new perspectives on the prioritization of goals by older adults and the underlying reasons, including emotional meaning and adaptive purpose.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype: Article
      src: R
    language: English
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