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Updated: May 17, 2026

Highlighting and Reducing the Impact of Negative Aging Stereotypes During Older Adults' Cognitive Testing
Published on: January 24, 2020
Daily stressors and self-reported changes in memory in old age: the mediating effects of daily negative affect and
Robert S Stawski1, Jacqueline A Mogle, Martin J Sliwinski
1Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA. rstawski@umich.edu
Abstract:
This study examined individual differences in exposure to daily stressors and self-reported changes in memory among older adults. A sample of 87 older adults completed measures of daily stressful experiences, negative affect (NA), cognitive interference (CI), and rated their memory compared to six months ago. Results indicated that more frequent exposure to daily stressors was associated with rating one's memory to be worse compared to six months prior. Furthermore, CI, but not NA partially mediated this association. The findings highlight CI as a psychological pathway for understanding the links between daily stress and perceptions of memory and cognition in old age.
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