Interactions between stereotype threat, subjective aging, and memory in older adults

Abstract

This study examined whether the effects of stereotype threat on memory and subjective age were moderated by positive age stereotypes and self-perceptions of aging among older adults. Perceived threat as a mechanism underlying these effects was also explored. Results showed that stereotype threat (high vs. low threat) did not affect the dependent variables. Moreover, self-perceptions of aging did not moderate the effect of stereotype threat on the dependent variables. However, for people with more positive age stereotypes, older people under highthreat perceived more threat than people under low threat. This could be explained by an effect of age stereotypes in the high-threat group: the more positive age stereotypes held by participants, the more they perceived threat, which in turn decreased their memory performance and made them feel mentally older. We hypothesized that age group identity is stronger in people with more positive age stereotypes, which increase perceived threat.

Aging in Context: Incorporating Everyday Experiences Into the Study of Subjective Age

“…The evidence on the link between subjective age and aging stereotypes is equivocal, and a direct examination of stereotype threat did not find evidence for a link to subjective age (57). Stereotypes of aging may be more relevant to some people than to others.…”

The Impact of Naturalistic Age Stereotype Activation

“…Threat appraisal or perceived stereotype threat is often not assessed in studies of stereotype effects on memory. However, when perceived threat is measured, it generally does not differ between the stereotype groups and comparison groups as expected (but see Swift et al, 2013), but it is age-sensitive, negatively related to memory performance, and positively related to anxiety (Chasteen et al, 2005;Kang and Chasteen, 2009;Popham and Hess, 2013;Marquet et al, 2019). Chasteen et al, 2005) reported that perceived stereotype threat fully mediated the effect of age on memory performance, and later found that perceived stereotype threat moderated their stereotype manipulation, wherein memory performance was poorer for those in the stereotype group who also reported higher perceived stereotype threat (Kang and Chasteen, 2009).…”

“…Common "threat" paradigms include explaining that the purpose of the study was to compare the performance of older adults to that of younger adults and emphasizing the age-sensitive nature of the test. Researchers may even explicitly state that older adults are not expected to do as well because they are old, may include a younger adult confederate in the testing session (Kang and Chasteen, 2009;Popham and Hess, 2013;Swift et al, 2013;Fernández-Ballesteros et al, 2015;Mazerolle et al, 2017), or may ask participants to read news articles or watch videos describing age-related deficits in memory (Hess et al, 2003;Hess and Hinson, 2006;Thomas and Dubois, 2011;Wong and Gallo, 2018;Marquet et al, 2019). Researchers have also manipulated task instructions to emphasize or de-emphasize the memory component of the testing (Rahhal et al, 2001;Hess et al, 2004;Chasteen et al, 2005;Desrichard and Köpetz, 2005;Sindi et al, 2013;Bouazzaoui et al, 2016).…”

“…If the stereotype manipulation acted more like stereotype priming, then participants might respond with self-stereotyping as in stereotype embodiment, or they might demonstrate age-group dissociation. In the case of self-stereotyping, the stereotype-exposed group might report worse memory evaluations (Bouazzaoui et al, 2016;Chasteen et al, 2005;Hess and Hinson, 2006;Wong and Gallo, 2018) and older subjective ages (Hess et al, 2003;Kang and Chasteen, 2009;Eibach et al, 2010;Kotter-Grühn and Hess, 2012;Fernández-Ballesteros et al, 2015;Marquet et al, 2019) than the control group, and these effects could also operate as mediators. Alternatively, reports of better memory evaluation and younger subjective ages for the stereotype group than the control group might represent an age groupdissociation.…”

Attitudes toward aging and loneliness among older adults: A mixed methods study

“…Older adults can develop two different types of attitudes toward aging: positive and negative attitudes. Positive attitudes toward aging positively influence their physical and mental health, 3 quality of life, 4,5 life satisfaction, 6 stress response, coping strategies, 7 cognitive functions (e.g., verbal fluency, memory), 8–10 and healthy living behaviors 11 . Older adults with more positive attitudes toward aging tend to be more independent and face fewer difficulties when engaging in daily life activities 12 .…”