Individual Differences in musicality and social network properties of older adults
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Authors
Martin, Jillian Nicole
Issue Date
2025
Type
Thesis
Language
en_US
Keywords
Cognitive Aging , Individual Differences , Musical Sophistication , Sensorimotor Synchronization , Social Networks
Alternative Title
Abstract
As the average lifespan continues to increase, cognitive decline becomes a morepressing concern for climbing ages. It is more important than ever to identify specific
interventions to help slow cognitive decline. This study examined how musical training,
musical sophistication, and social network diversity influenced cognitive, sensory, and
sensorimotor functioning in older adults aged 60–80. While none of the predictor
variables significantly influenced overall cognitive performance, social network diversity
was positively associated with working memory among participants with higher musical
expertise. In the sensory realm, greater musical sophistication unexpectedly predicted a
poorer performance on co-located speech-in-noise tasks. For sensorimotor outcomes,
rhythmic structure impacted tapping performance, with deviant rhythms prompting
greater accuracy but reduced consistency. Older adults showed a shift toward reactive
tapping, and social network diversity was linked to increased variability in self-paced
tapping, especially in individuals with lower musicality. These findings highlight domain-
specific and interactive effects of enrichment factors, emphasizing the importance of
individual differences in understanding and supporting healthy aging.