The relationships between perceived control and episodic memory in adulthood: a review

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Neuroscience
• Gerontology

Background:

• Perceived control, the belief in one's ability to influence events, is crucial for cognitive function.
• Episodic memory, the ability to recall specific events, is vital for daily life and shows age-related changes.
• Understanding the interplay between perceived control and episodic memory across adulthood is essential for cognitive health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review existing literature on the relationship between perceived control and episodic memory throughout adulthood.
• To investigate whether age moderates the association between perceived control and memory performance.
• To examine the role of perceived control in moderating memory decline.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature review of studies examining perceived control and episodic memory.
• Analysis of research focusing on adult populations across different age groups.
• Synthesis of findings related to the moderating effects of perceived control on memory.

Main Results:

• A positive relationship exists between perceived control and episodic memory in adulthood.
• Few studies have investigated age as a moderator in this relationship.
• Evidence on perceived control moderating memory decline is limited and yields inconsistent results.

Conclusions:

• While perceived control generally supports episodic memory, its interaction with aging requires further investigation.
• More research is needed to clarify the mechanisms and conditions under which perceived control influences memory across the lifespan.
• Future studies should explore interventions targeting perceived control to potentially support memory function in aging adults.