Empathy and theory of mind: age-related differences between young and older adults

• Main Author: Ria, Heryani binti Mumfahir
• Format: Thesis
• Published: 2020
• Subjects: BF Psychology; HM Sociology
• Online Access: http://eprints.sunway.edu.my/2409/
• Institution: Sunway University

Existing research demonstrated mixed findings on older adults’ social cognition; precisely in empathy and theory of mind. In this study, we examined the interplay between empathy and theory of mind across age. We recruited 144 healthy participants comprising 79 young adults (18-30 years old) and 65 older adults (60 years old and above) to complete faux pas task (20 stories in comic strips) to assess faux pas detection and understanding, as well as empathy scales (Empathy Quotient and Brief-Interpersonal Reactivity Index) to measure dispositional empathy. We found similar scores between young and older adults in cognitive and affective empathy. Regarding B-IRI subscales, older adults scored lower in personal distress and fantasy scale, while scored higher in empathic concern than young adults. Both age groups scored similarly in perspective-taking subscale. In faux pas task, we found that older adults performed poorer than young adults in faux pas detection and understanding. Faux pas measures also significantly correlated with total EQ, but did not significantly correlated with B-IRI subscales. Active social participation, better emotion regulation, and positivity effect may account for older adults’ overall empathic dispositions. Poor faux pas performance may signify older adults’ declining social cognition and poor judgment about social behaviour appropriateness. Overall, these findings may educate the public about older adults’ age-related social behaviour tendency, thus prompting policies and interventions to cater more for older adults’ social welfare and well-being.