title: Empathic accuracy for happiness in the daily lives of older couples: Fluid cognitive performance predicts pattern accuracy among men.
abstract: Correctly identifying other's emotional states is a central cognitive component of empathy. We examined the role of fluid cognitive performance for empathic accuracy for happiness in the daily lives of 86 older couples (mean relationship length = 45 years; mean age = 75 years) on up to 42 occasions over 7 consecutive days. Men performing better on the Digit Symbol test were more accurate in identifying ups and downs of their partner's happiness. A similar association was not found for women. We discuss the potential role of fluid cognitive performance and other individual, partner, and situation characteristics for empathic accuracy. (PsycINFO Database Record
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology.
authors.forename: Gizem
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hülür
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology.
authors.forename: Christiane A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Hoppmann
authors.affiliation: Department of Education and Psychology, Freie Universität Berlin.
authors.forename: Antje
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rauers
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology.
authors.forename: Hannah
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schade
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Pennsylvania State University.
authors.forename: Nilam
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ram
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology.
authors.forename: Denis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gerstorf
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D003071:Cognition; D004644:Emotions; D004645:Empathy; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006240:Happiness; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007600:Judgment; D008297:Male; D012737:Sex Factors