Effortful memory processes under stereotype threat and self-concept in aging.

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Psychology
• Social Psychology
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Stereotype threat can negatively impact cognitive performance in targeted groups.
• Older adults may be particularly susceptible to stereotype threat due to age-related stereotypes.
• The impact of stereotype threat on memory, especially deeper levels of processing, requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effect of stereotype threat on the controlled aspect of memory in older adults.
• To examine memory performance using self-reference encoding under stereotype threat conditions.
• To identify potential moderators of stereotype threat in older adults.

Main Methods:

• A Remember/Know recognition task was employed with younger and older adult participants.
• Adjective traits were encoded using self-reference versus other-reference conditions.
• Participants completed tasks under stereotype threat and non-threat conditions.

Main Results:

• Older adults showed impaired "Remember" responses under stereotype threat, specifically after self-reference encoding.
• Executive functioning and group identification did not moderate the stereotype threat effect.
• Self-worth significantly moderated the stereotype threat effect in older adults.

Conclusions:

• Stereotype threat in older adults may function as a threat to self-concept.
• Traditional moderators like executive functioning and group identification may not apply to older adults.
• Self-worth plays a crucial role, enabling individuals to manage negative affect and maintain confidence under stereotype threat.