Bangma Dorien F, Fuermaier Anselm B M, Tucha Lara, Tucha Oliver, Koerts Janneke
Department of Clinical and Developmental Neuropsychology, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
PLoS One. 2017 Aug 9;12(8):e0182620. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0182620. eCollection 2017.
Financial decision-making (FDM) is crucial for independent living. Due to cognitive decline that accompanies normal aging, older adults might have difficulties in some aspects of FDM. However, an improved knowledge, personal experience and affective decision-making, which are also related to normal aging, may lead to a stable or even improved age-related performance in some other aspects of FDM. Therefore, the present explorative study examines the effects of normal aging on multiple aspects of FDM.
One-hundred and eighty participants (range 18-87 years) were assessed with eight FDM tests and several standard neuropsychological tests. Age effects were evaluated using hierarchical multiple regression analyses. The validity of the prediction models was examined by internal validation (i.e. bootstrap resampling procedure) as well as external validation on another, independent, sample of participants (n = 124). Multiple regression and correlation analyses were applied to investigate the mediation effect of standard measures of cognition on the observed effects of age on FDM.
On a relatively basic level of FDM (e.g., paying bills or using FDM styles) no significant effects of aging were found. However more complex FDM, such as making decisions in accordance with specific rules, becomes more difficult with advancing age. Furthermore, an older age was found to be related to a decreased sensitivity for impulsive buying. These results were confirmed by the internal and external validation analyses. Mediation effects of numeracy and planning were found to explain parts of the association between one aspect of FDM (i.e. Competence in decision rules) and age; however, these cognitive domains were not able to completely explain the relation between age and FDM.
Normal aging has a negative influence on a complex aspect of FDM, however, other aspects appear to be unaffected by normal aging or improve.
财务决策（FDM）对于独立生活至关重要。由于正常衰老伴随认知能力下降，老年人在财务决策的某些方面可能会遇到困难。然而，与正常衰老相关的知识提升、个人经验和情感决策，可能会使老年人在财务决策的其他方面表现出稳定甚至更好的与年龄相关的能力。因此，本探索性研究考察了正常衰老对财务决策多个方面的影响。
180名参与者（年龄范围18 - 87岁）接受了八项财务决策测试和多项标准神经心理学测试。使用分层多元回归分析评估年龄效应。通过内部验证（即自助重采样程序）以及对另一个独立参与者样本（n = 124）的外部验证来检验预测模型的有效性。应用多元回归和相关分析来研究认知标准测量对观察到的年龄对财务决策影响的中介作用。
在相对基础的财务决策水平上（例如支付账单或使用财务决策方式），未发现衰老的显著影响。然而，更复杂的财务决策，如按照特定规则做决策，会随着年龄增长变得更加困难。此外，发现年龄较大与冲动购买的敏感性降低有关。这些结果通过内部和外部验证分析得到证实。发现计算能力和规划能力的中介作用解释了财务决策的一个方面（即决策规则能力）与年龄之间关联的部分原因；然而，这些认知领域无法完全解释年龄与财务决策之间的关系。
正常衰老对财务决策的一个复杂方面有负面影响，然而，其他方面似乎不受正常衰老影响或有所改善。
