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Retirement and Cognitive Development: Are the Retired Really Inactive?

Author

Listed:
  • Andries de Grip

    (ROA, Maastricht University, IZA and Netspar)

  • Arnaud Dupuy

    (Reims Management School, ROA, IZA and Netspar. Corresponding address: Maastricht University PO Box 616, NL-6200, MD, The Netherlands. Email: a.dupuy@maastrichtuniversity.nl.)

  • Jelle Jolles

    (Faculty of Psychology and Education, Free University of Amsterdam)

  • Martin van Boxtel

    (Department of Neuropsychology, Maastricht University)

Abstract

This paper uses longitudinal test data to analyze the relation be- tween retirement and cognitive development. Controlling for individ- ual xed e¤ects and lagged cognition, we nd that retirees face greater declines in information processing speed than those who remain em- ployed. However, remarkably, their cognitive exibility declines less, an e¤ect that appears to be persistent 6 years after retirement. Both e¤ects of retirement on cognitive development are comparable to the e¤ect of a ve to six-year age di¤erence. We show that the e¤ects of retirement on cognitive decline cannot be explained by (1) a re- lief e¤ect after being employed in low-skilled jobs, (2) mood swings or (3) changes in lifestyle. Controlling for changes in blood pressure, which are negatively related to cognitive exibility, we still nd lower declines in cognitive exibility for retirees. Since the decline in in- formation processing speed after retirement holds particularly for the low educated, activating these persons after retirement could lower the social costs of an aging society.

Suggested Citation

  • Andries de Grip & Arnaud Dupuy & Jelle Jolles & Martin van Boxtel, 2012. "Retirement and Cognitive Development: Are the Retired Really Inactive?," Working Papers 2012/14, Maastricht School of Management.
    • Handle: RePEc:msm:wpaper:2012/14
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Plamen Nikolov & Md Shahadath Hossain, 2020. "Do Pension Benefits Accelerate Cognitive Decline in Late Adulthood? Evidence from Rural China," Papers 2007.05884, arXiv.org, revised Dec 2022.
    2. Sahlgren, Gabriel H., 2012. "Work ‘til You Drop: Short- and Longer-Term Health Effects of Retirement in Europe," Working Paper Series 928, Research Institute of Industrial Economics.

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    JEL classification:

    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J26 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Retirement; Retirement Policies

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