When taking a physiological perspective, Dr. Edgcumbe attributed the drop in open-mindedness largely to deterioration of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Senescent changes in the brain follow a “last in, first out” principle. The last parts of the brain to fully mature, such as is the case with the DLPFC, deteriorate earliest during advanced age. The DLPFC helps us keep opposing ideas in mind at the same time so that we can compare and contrast them. This capability facilitates us changing our views when offered compelling evidence. Deterioration in the DLPFC along with increased distractibility and quicker fatigue which accompany old age could cause the senior to disregard the evidence.
The senior might experience the closed-mindedness as feeling that a change in opinions is a sign of weakness. An item on the survey used in the studies was, “Certain beliefs are just too important to abandon no matter how good a case can be made against them.” With this rationale, the seniors don’t see themselves as unwisely stubborn.
Because of this closed-mindedness about being closed-minded, it often requires concerted interventions to slice into it with the objective of opening up the thinking. Areas in which open-mindedness is notably important for the senior include personal finances, end-of-life planning, health care, voting, and if the senior is still employed, on-the-job judgments. Based on Dr. Edgcumbe's analysis, I suggest bringing together elderly adults with different views for ongoing discussions and persevering when showing seniors the value of considering a range of opinions before making a significant decision. “This would enable us all to recognise the limitations of our own knowledge whilst benefitting from the knowledge, perspectives, and opinions of others in the practice of open-mindedness,” Dr. Edgcumbe added in an email to me.
As well as implementing these sorts of tactics to cut into the stubbornness, let’s each keep an open mind ourselves about the extent and purposes of cognitive rigidity in the elderly. In the meta-analysis, no more than half the variation in open-mindedness was attributable to advancing age. Yes, that’s a considerable amount, but it still means there are lots of individual differences in open-mindedness at every age. Not every senior is bound to be a flawed decision maker. Also, wisdom can compensate for some flaws. The senior who is highly experienced at living could be quite justified when rejecting the latest popular opinion.
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Negotiate with the Stubbornness of Old Age
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