"A new study by University of Queensland's Sarah Coundouris and Julie Henry tests the effect of what's called "self-directed ageism" on a certain form of memory-namely, the ability to remember what you're supposed to do, or "prospective" memory. The term is somewhat self-explanatory, but for clarity, the authors define it as "the many ways in which ageist beliefs become increasingly self-relevant and internalized.""
"Prior research has already demonstrated that internalized ageist beliefs, known as "stereotype threat," can influence memory for past events. Prospective memory includes an additional twist beyond recall of the past. To remember what you need to do, you have to initiate the process by reminding yourself to get started on it, or by seeing some sort of cue and then realizing that the cue means you're supposed to complete some action."
"Belief in Memory Failure Can Cause Memory Failure. Despite the anti-hoopla in the scientific community about what a waste of money these products are, people still buy them. Now, the newest entry into the aging-memory debate shows even more emphatically why maybe the hype about memory loss is causing not just a little more harm than good, but a lot."
Negative stereotypes about aging and memory loss are pervasive in media and advertising, yet research reveals these beliefs actively harm cognitive function rather than merely reflecting inevitable decline. A study by University of Queensland researchers examined self-directed ageism's impact on prospective memory—the ability to remember tasks and initiate actions based on cues. Building on prior research showing internalized ageist beliefs influence recall of past events, this research demonstrates that stereotype threat extends to prospective memory. The findings suggest that refusing to internalize negative aging narratives and maintaining positive beliefs about cognitive capacity can protect mental acuity. This indicates that much of the feared memory loss associated with aging may stem from psychological factors rather than biological inevitability.
#ageism-and-stereotype-threat #prospective-memory #aging-and-cognition #internalized-beliefs-and-performance
Read at Psychology Today
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