title: Task control and cognitive abilities of self and spouse in collaboration in middle-aged and older couples.
abstract: Collaborative problem solving may be used by older couples to optimize cognitive functioning, with some suggestion that older couples exhibit greater collaborative expertise. The study explored age differences in 2 aspects of collaborative expertise: spouses' knowledge of their own and their spouse's cognitive abilities and the ability to fit task control to these cognitive abilities. The participants were 300 middle-aged and older couples who completed a hypothetical errand task. The interactions were coded for control asserted by husbands and wives. Fluid intelligence was assessed, and spouses rated their own and their spouse's cognitive abilities. The results revealed no age differences in couple expertise, either in the ability to predict their own and their spouse's cognitive abilities or in the ability to fit task control to abilities. However, gender differences were found. Women fit task control to their own and their spouse's cognitive abilities; men only fit task control to their spouse's cognitive abilities. For women only, the fit between control and abilities was associated with better performance. The results indicate no age differences in couple expertise but point to gender as a factor in optimal collaboration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Utah, 380 South 1350 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA. cynthia.berg@psych.utah.edu
authors.forename: Cynthia A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Berg
authors.forename: Timothy W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Kelly J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.forename: Ryan M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Beveridge
authors.forename: Nathan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Story
authors.forename: Nancy J M
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Henry
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Florsheim
authors.forename: Gale
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pearce
authors.forename: Bert N
authors.initials: BN
authors.lastname: Uchino
authors.forename: Michelle A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Skinner
authors.forename: Kelly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Glazer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D001076:Aptitude; D003071:Cognition; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D004291:Dominance-Subordination; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D006801:Humans; D007360:Intelligence; D008297:Male; D008393:Marriage; D008875:Middle Aged; D011340:Problem Solving; D018454:Spouses / Q000523:psychology*