Ageist Stereotype Threat Effects on Memory and Metacognition in Older Adults
Author: Jessica T. Wong
Publisher:
Published: 2013
Total Pages: 120
ISBN-13: 9781303423710
DOWNLOAD EBOOKAgeist stereotype threat reduces episodic memory accuracy in older adults, but less is known how stereotype threat affects other memory domains or the cognitive mechanisms that may underlie these effects. The goal of this dissertation was to explore how stereotype threat impacts episodic, semantic, and working memory, and the potential role of metacognition. Experiment 1 manipulated stereotype threat at retrieval during an episodic memory task, and also required older adults to complete semantic and working memory tasks under stereotype threat. For the episodic task, older adults under threat had lower recognition for studied items and semantically related nonstudied items than age-matched controls, implicating a conservative criterion shift. Threat did not affect semantic or working memory measures. Experiment 2 tested the generality of these effects using three different cognitive tests, and also manipulated stereotype threat at both encoding and retrieval for the episodic test. Threat at encoding increased source recollection confusions compared to controls, but threat at retrieval did not. Threat again failed to affect semantic memory, but sometimes impaired working memory. Metacognitive ratings were affected by both stereotype threat and task performance, but these effects depended on the format of the questionnaires. Taken together, these results suggest that ageist stereotype threat can differentially affect episodic memory at both encoding and retrieval, although these effects were not mediated by metacognition.