Purpose in Life and Cognitive Function: Evidence for Momentary Associations in Daily Life

Abstract

Abstract Background and Objectives Purpose in life is associated with healthier cognitive outcomes in older adulthood. This research examines within-person dynamics between momentary purpose and cognitive function to provide proof of concept that increases in purpose are associated with better cognitive performance. Research Design and Methods Participants (N = 303; 54% female; Mage = 51.71, SD = 7.32) completed smartphone-based momentary assessments of purpose and short cognitive tasks 3 times a day for 8 days. Results In moments when participants felt more purpose driven than their average, they had faster processing speed (b = −1.240, SE = 0.194; p < .001), independent of person, temporal, and contextual factors and practice effects. Momentary purpose was unrelated to visual working memory performance (b = −0.001, SE = 0.001; p = .475). In contrast to purpose, momentary hedonic affect (e.g., happiness) was unrelated to momentary cognition. Discussion and Implications Feeling more momentary purpose may support faster processing speed in daily life. Such evidence provides stage 0 support for a purpose-based intervention for healthier cognition, which may be particularly useful in middle adulthood and the transition to older adulthood before the onset of cognitive impairment.