The Effect Of Aging-Related Stereotype Threat On Memory Performance

Abstract

The aim of the current study was to examine the effect of stereotype threat related to aging on memory performance of 55-70 years-old individuals. Participants were randomly assigned to three experimental conditions: negative stereotype threat, positive stereotype threat, and control. After the presentation of manipulative texts, participants were given two consecutive memory tasks to examine the duration of stereotype threat effect on the memory performance. The results demonstrated that the groups did not differ significantly in terms of the number of words remembered. The performance on two consecutive memory tasks was similar. Significant relationships were found between the memory performance of the participants and their gender and education level. Women showed significantly better memory performance than men and the performance of participants whose educational level was university or higher was significantly better than those whose educational level was below university.

Keywords

• aging
• stereotype threat
• memory
• negative stereotypes
• positive stereotypes

Yaşlanmayla İlgili Kalıp Yargı Tehdidinin Bellek Performansı Üzerindeki Etkisi

Abstract

Bu çalışmanın amacı yaşlanmayla ilgili kalıp yargı tehdidinin 55-70 yaş arasındaki kişilerin bellek performansı üzerindeki etkisini incelemektir. Katılımcılar negatif kalıp yargı tehdidi koşulu, pozitif kalıp yargı tehdidi koşulu ve kontrol koşulu olmak üzere üç deneysel koşula rastgele olarak atanmışlardır. Manipülatif metinlerin sunulmasının ardından kalıp yargı tehdidinin bellek performansı üzerindeki etki süresini gözleyebilmek için katılımcılara art arda iki bellek görevi verilmiştir. Çalışmanın bulguları kalıp yargı tehdidi ile ilgili metinlere maruz kalan katılımcıların bellek performansının gruplar arasında anlamlı şekilde birbirinden farklılaşmadığını göstermiştir. Katılımcıların ardışık iki kelime listesinde hatırladıkları kelime sayıları benzerdir. Katılımcıların hatırladıkları kelime sayısı ile cinsiyetleri ve eğitim düzeyleri arasında anlamlı ilişkiler bulunmuştur. Kadınlar erkeklere göre, üniversite ve üzeri eğitim görenler, üniversite altı eğitim görenlere göre daha iyi bellek performansı göstermişlerdir.

Keywords

• yaşlanma
• kalıp yargı tehdidi
• bellek
• negatif kalıp yargı
• pozitif kalıp yargı

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