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Assessment of Age-related Changes in Cognitive Functions Using EmoCogMeter, a Novel Tablet-computer Based Approach
Published on: February 14, 2014
Age differences in feeling-of-knowing and confidence judgements as a function of knowledge domain
1Laboratoire Travail et Cognition, Université Toulouse-Le-Mirail, Maison de la Recherche, France. marquie@univ-tlse2.fr
Psychology and Aging
|October 3, 2000
Summary
Older adults showed underconfidence in feeling-of-knowing (FOK) for computer tasks, linked to lower memory self-efficacy. However, accuracy in FOK and confidence level (CL) judgments remained consistent across all age groups.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive psychology
- Neuroscience of aging
- Human memory
Background:
- Metacognition, including feeling-of-knowing (FOK) and confidence level (CL), plays a crucial role in memory monitoring.
- Age-related differences in metacognitive judgments and memory performance are well-documented, but the interplay with domain-specific self-efficacy requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate age-related differences in FOK and CL accuracy across general and computer-related knowledge domains.
- To examine the influence of memory self-efficacy beliefs on these metacognitive judgments in different age groups.
- To determine if age effects on metacognition are mediated by domain-specific self-efficacy.
Main Methods:
- Participants from three age groups (young, middle-aged, older adults) completed recognition memory tests in general and computer domains.
- Feeling-of-knowing (FOK) and confidence level (CL) judgments were collected for test items.
- Global memory self-efficacy beliefs were assessed for each domain.
- Statistical analyses controlled for age differences in memory self-efficacy.
Main Results:
- Older adults exhibited greater underconfidence in FOK for computer-related items compared to younger adults.
- This age-related underconfidence in FOK for computer items was significantly reduced after controlling for memory self-efficacy beliefs in that domain.
- No significant age differences were found in CL judgments or in the accuracy of FOK and CL judgments across domains and age groups.
Conclusions:
- Memory self-efficacy beliefs, particularly in domain-specific contexts like computer knowledge, significantly influence feeling-of-knowing judgments in older adults.
- While absolute FOK judgments appear linked to self-efficacy, the relative accuracy of both FOK and CL judgments remains preserved across the adult lifespan.
- These findings highlight the importance of considering domain-specific self-perceptions when examining metacognitive differences in aging populations.
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