Cheating on seniors by less gut feeling

Belly feeling less pronounced in seniors than in young people

04/12/2012

Older people are often victims of scammers and peasants. A US study has now examined why seniors often become victims of fraud. The surprising result: Older people are less likely to judge trustworthiness from faces than younger people. Nevertheless, the trustworthiness of older people also creates positive feelings in order to be happier in old age despite increased suffering.

Obviously, older people are less likely to recognize from faces that a human being makes a trustworthy impression or not. Not only media reports attest to marriage fraudsters, Erbchleichern, Passbook fraudsters and older ladies, the alleged grandchildren large sums of money „lend“, but also a research paper from the University of California at Los Angeles, whose findings in the US science magazine „PNAS“ was published.

Less trusting people were recognized
Study author Shelley Taylor's team used a study to present images of people to young and elderly subjects that suggested trustworthiness. All participants should check with the help of a questionnaire, whether the represented persons can be regarded as trusting, neutral or less trusting. In the categories „trustworthy“ and „Neutral“ The young and older people achieved equally good results. In the division „less trustworthy“ The older women and men were less well versed. According to the results, older people were less able to rate trustworthy people than the younger participants“, as the authors write in the study report.

In the second part of the study, scientists used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to observe participants' brain activity. During the measurement, the participants were again shown photos of faces. It was found that older people had brain activity in the regions of the insular cortex, the so-called anterior insula. According to recent findings, the brain region is responsible for assessing feelings of disgust and risks and triggering corresponding reactions. The island cortex perceives inner emotions and is most likely involved in the development of the gut feeling. The results clearly showed that „in the elderly, the early warning signal of the island bark was markedly weaker. The brain did not report to them to the same extent as with young people, be careful“, as Study Director Taylor reports.

Confidence creates positive feelings
The less good assessment of dangers has many serious consequences for pensioners. According to a 2010 study, US citizens over the age of 60 have been plagued and swindled by financial fraud of approximately $ 2.9 billion. But the greater trust can also be viewed positively, as Taylor emphasized. „The trustworthiness probably also contributes to the general well-being.“ For example, according to some studies, seniors would put less pressure on negative emotions. moreover „Older people are less likely to remember bad news but keep positive information in their memory for longer“. (Sb)

Picture: Gerd Altmann / Anja Wichmann