Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 3, 2026

Assessment of Age-related Changes in Cognitive Functions Using EmoCogMeter, a Novel Tablet-computer Based Approach
Published on: February 14, 2014
Perceived self-efficacy and everyday problem solving among young and older adults
Daniele Artistico1, Daniel Cervone, Lina Pezzuti
1Department of Psychology, University of Rome La Sapienza, Italy. daniele.artistico@uniroma1.it
Abstract:
This research tested the hypothesis that age differences in both self-efficacy perceptions and problem-solving performance would vary as a function of the ecological relevance of problems to young and older adults. The authors developed novel everyday problem-solving stimuli that were ecologically representative of problems commonly confronted by young adults (young-adult problems), older adults (older adult problems), or both (common problems). Performance on an abstract problem solving task lacking in ecological representativeness (the Tower of Hanoi problem) also was examined. Although young persons had higher self-efficacy beliefs and performance levels on the Tower of Hanoi task problem and the young-adult problems, this pattern reversed in the domain of older adult problems, where the self-efficacy beliefs and performance of older persons exceeded those of the young.
Related Concept Videos
Self-Evaluation: Self-Enhancement and Self-Verification
Self-Discrepancy Theory
Cognitive Development During Adulthood
Revisionist Views of Adolescent and Adult Cognition
Sources of Self-Esteem II: Performance Feedback
Self-Efficacy

