Age‑Related Declines in Theory of Mind: Associations with Cognitive Complexity, Reasoning Abilities and Social Activity

Abstract

The theory of mind (ToM) is a construct of complex skills that contributes to a better understanding of social scenarios and interpersonal relationships. We performed a quasiexperimental design study with a healthy aging sample of 454 Spanish- and Catalan-speaking individuals ranging in age from 18 to 94 years. This study examined the changes in ToM abilities among older adults, considering the cognitive complexity of the ToM tasks used. It also sought to identify potential factors that might influence differences in ToM performance. The results showed significant changes in the scores of the older adults compared with those of the younger adults in all domains, especially in tasks with higher levels of complexity. Similarly, the results were lower within the older adults’ group, yet no significant differences have been found. The results indicate that the variable that most influences ToM skills is social activity, followed by verbal reasoning. Our research underscores the significant connection between social engagement and verbal reasoning in interpreting real-life situations and how this connection is related to a lower ability in ToM skills in late adulthood, specifically in highly complex ToM tasks.