Ties That Matter: Social Roles, Bridging Networks, And Cognitive Functioning In Later Life

• In Event: Neuroscience, Cognition, and Sociology

Abstract

Cognitive decline is a major challenge of population aging, yet the social mechanisms that shape cognitive risk and resilience remain poorly understood. Drawing unique, high-dimensional longitudinal data from the Social Networks and Alzheimer’s Disease (SNAD) study (N = 461 person-years), this study examines how social roles influence later-life cognitive health through social network structure. We conceptualize social roles as structured exposures that organize daily interactions and determine access to social enrichment and cognitive stimulation provided by bridging networks. We distinguish between obligatory and voluntary roles and assess their associations with global cognition, episodic memory, verbal fluency, and diagnostic status. Results show that voluntary roles are more consistently associated with better cognitive outcomes than obligatory roles. Structural equation models reveal that bridging networks—large, weaker ties that connect individuals to otherwise disconnected network members—mediate the association between voluntary roles and cognitive functioning, however, not for obligatory roles. These findings highlight network structure as a key meso-structural mechanism linking everyday social participation to cognitive health among older adults.

Authors

• Tianyao Qu, Indiana University-Bloomington

• Wenhua (Zoey) Lai, Wayne State University

• Brea Louise Perry, Indiana University-Bloomington

• Jessica Brantez, Indiana University-Bloomington