@article{hess_neupert_lothary_2022, title={Aging attitudes and changes in the costs of cognitive engagement in older adults over 5 years.}, volume={37}, ISSN={1939-1498 0882-7974}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/pag0000685}, DOI={10.1037/pag0000685}, abstractNote={The costs associated with performing a specific activity may play an important role in determining engagement, potentially impacting the willingness of older adults to engage in activities-particularly those with high demands-that may have benefits for physical and cognitive health. The present study examined changes in both objective (effort expenditure) and subjective (perceived task demands) costs associated with engagement in a cognitively challenging memory-scan task across a 5-year period in 163 older adults aged 64-81. Consistent with assumptions of selective engagement theory (SET; Hess, 2014), the effort associated with performing the task-as assessed by systolic blood pressure responses-was observed to increase over time. Subjective assessments of costs, as assessed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration task load index (NASA TLX), were also observed to increase. In addition, the increases in both objective and subjective costs were greatest at high levels of task demands. We further found that both the effort and, to a lesser extent, perceived costs associated with performance were moderated by aging attitudes. Specifically, more positive attitudes were associated with greater effort expenditure and lower perceived costs. These findings suggest that negative attitudes about aging may have detrimental effects on perceived ability to perform challenging tasks. Given the importance of costs in determining activity participation, promoting positive aging attitudes along with more realistic perceptions of task demands may provide important means for promoting engagement in beneficial activities. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).}, number={4}, journal={Psychology and Aging}, publisher={American Psychological Association (APA)}, author={Hess, Thomas M. and Neupert, Shevaun D. and Lothary, Allura F.}, year={2022}, month={Jun}, pages={456–468} }
 @article{casper_bocarro_lothary_2021, title={An examination of pickleball participation, social connections, and psychological well-being among seniors during the COVID-19 pandemic}, volume={63}, ISSN={1607-8055 2333-4509}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/16078055.2021.1957708}, DOI={10.1080/16078055.2021.1957708}, abstractNote={ABSTRACT This study examined how the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the physical activity, social connections, and psychological well-being of seniors who participate in the sport of pickleball. A total of 36 pickleball players who were over the age of 65 completed an online survey that assessed pickleball participation, social connections, physical/mental health, loneliness, and life satisfaction measures in February/March 2020 (pre-COVID) and again in November 2020 (during COVID). Findings indicated that a majority of the participants are still playing pickleball outdoors, but less frequently. They reported lower social connections through pickleball and in their daily life. While perceived physical health scores were stable, participants reported significantly lower mental health, higher loneliness, and lower life satisfaction during the pandemic. Those playing less pickleball were significantly more likely to report lower life satisfaction during the pandemic. The findings from this study have implications for both leisure practitioners and public health professionals as they strategize ways to continue to offer recreation experiences safely.}, number={3}, journal={World Leisure Journal}, publisher={Informa UK Limited}, author={Casper, Jonathan M. and Bocarro, Jason N. and Lothary, Allura F.}, year={2021}, month={Jul}, pages={330–346} }
 @article{hess_lothary_erica l. o'brien_growney_delarosa_2021, title={Predictors of Engagement in Young and Older Adults: The Role of Specific Activity Experience}, volume={36}, ISSN={["1939-1498"]}, DOI={10.1037/pag0000561}, abstractNote={Activity that places demands on cognitive resources has positive effects on cognitive health in old age. To further understand determinants of age-group differences in participation, we examined how negative aging stereotypes and responses associated with a cognitively challenging activity influenced future willingness to engage in that activity. Sixty-nine young (20-40 years) and 80 older (63-84 years) adults performed a letter-number sequencing (LNS) task at different levels of demand for 15 min, during which systolic blood pressure responses-a measure of effort mobilization-and subjective perceptions of task demands were assessed. Approximately half the participants were primed with a negative aging stereotype prior to this task. Following the LNS task, participants completed an effort-discounting task, with resulting subjective values indicating their willingness to perform the task at each level of demand. As expected, both subjective and objective indicators of cognitive demands as well as performance were associated with future willingness to engage in a difficult task, with these effects being significantly greater for older adults. In addition, although stereotype activation influenced older adults' engagement levels in the LNS task, it did not moderate willingness. Together, the results indicate that, relative to younger adults, older adults' decisions to engage in cognitively challenging activities are disproportionately affected by their subjective perceptions of demands. Interestingly, actual engagement with the task and associated success result in reduced perceptions of difficulty and greater willingness to engage. Thus, overcoming faulty and discouraging task perceptions may promote older adults' engagement in demanding but potentially beneficial activities. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).}, number={2}, journal={PSYCHOLOGY AND AGING}, author={Hess, Thomas M. and Lothary, Allura F. and Erica L. O'Brien and Growney, Claire M. and DeLaRosa, Jesse}, year={2021}, month={Mar}, pages={131–142} }
 @article{hess_growney_lothary_2019, title={Motivation Moderates the Impact of Aging Stereotypes on Effort Expenditure}, volume={34}, ISSN={["1939-1498"]}, DOI={10.1037/pag0000291}, abstractNote={The impact of aging stereotypes on task engagement was examined. Older adults (N = 144, ages 65 to 85) were exposed to primes designed to activate positive or negative stereotypes about aging, with half of the individuals in each stereotype group also assigned to a high-accountability condition to enhance motivation. Participants performed a memory-scan task comprising 2 levels of demands (memory sets of 4 or 7 items), with 2 blocks (5 min each) at each level. Systolic blood pressure recorded throughout the task was used to monitor engagement levels. High accountability was associated with greater engagement at the highest level of task demands. Negative stereotype activation also resulted in elevated engagement levels, but only during the initial trial blocks in the high-accountability condition. Lowest levels of engagement were associated with low accountability, with no difference between stereotype conditions. An analogous differential analysis on these same data using need for cognition and attitudes toward aging as measures of motivation and stereotypes revealed similar trends. Specifically, negative aging attitudes were associated with elevated levels of engagement only in individuals who were high in intrinsic motivation, with the effects greatest at the highest levels of task demands. The results provide a more nuanced perspective on the impact of negative aging stereotypes than suggested in previous research, with the impact on behavior moderated by situational and personal factors associated with motivation. Although potentially negative in the long run, elevated cardiovascular responses indicative of task engagement may represent an adaptive response to support performance.}, number={1}, journal={PSYCHOLOGY AND AGING}, author={Hess, Thomas M. and Growney, Claire M. and Lothary, Allura F.}, year={2019}, month={Feb}, pages={56–67} }