We can work it out: Group decision‐making builds social identity and enhances the cognitive performance of care residents

Abstract

Group-based interventions have been argued to slow the cognitive decline of older people residing in care by building social identification and thereby increasing motivation and engagement. The present study explored the identity-cognition association further by investigating the impact of a group decision-making intervention on cognition. Thirty-six care home residents were assigned to one of three conditions: an Intervention in which they made decisions about lounge refurbishment as a group, a Comparison condition in which staff made these decisions, or a no-treatment Control. Cognitive function, social identification, home satisfaction, and lounge use were measured before and after the intervention. Participants in the Intervention condition showed significant increases on all measures, and greater improvement than participants in both Comparison and Control conditions. Consistent with social identity theorizing, these findings point to the role of group activity and social identification in promoting cognitive integrity and well-being among care residents.

Seeing our self reflected in the world around us: The role of identity in making (natural) environments restorative

“…While all these things are important and may contribute positively to people's positive or negative experiences of different environments, social parameters can also make space functional or dysfunctional (Knight & Haslam, 2010a, b). For example, spaces that allow people to articulate, express, and realize their identities, and which facilitate connections to others with whom they identify, have been found to contribute to individual health and happiness (see also C. Haslam et al, 2014;C. Haslam, Jetten, Haslam, & Knight, 2011).…”

Two pathways through adversity: Predicting well‐being and housing outcomes among homeless service users

“…In addition, there is a growing evidence that group membership can promote adjustment, coping, and well‐being in vulnerable populations (Jetten et al ., ). This research has found that social identities and group membership can improve well‐being and slow down cognitive decline in older adults (Gleibs et al ., ; Haslam et al ., ), reduce symptoms and recidivism of depression (Cruwys et al ., ; Cruwys, Haslam, Dingle, Jetten et al ., ), and increase well‐being in people with chronic mental health and substance abuse problems (Best et al ., ; Dingle, Brander, Ballantyne, & Baker, ; Dingle, Stark, Cruwys, & Best, ).…”

Making good theory practical: Five lessons for an Applied Social Identity Approach to challenges of organizational, health, and clinical psychology

“…In care homes, for example, we have found that when space is managed in ways that accord with, and help to build, residents' sense of shared identity this has substantial positive consequences not only for their comfort but also for their productive use of that space . Building on such observations, a growing number of intervention studies have also shown that distinctly positive consequences for physical, mental, and cognitive health flow from activities that help to build (or reinforce) individuals' sense that they share social identity with other people Haslam et al, 2010;Haslam, Haslam, Knight, et al, 2014;.…”