UNC Study Proves You Are Only as Old as You Think You Are

A new study, "Moderators of and Mechanisms Underlying Stereotype Threat Effects on Older Adults' Memory Performance," by the researchers at North Carolina State University concluded that you really are only as old as you think you are. Senior citizens, the study showed, performed worse on tests of memory, if those senior citizens believed older people naturally perform poorly on tests of memory.

This underperformance of confidence translates in a self-fulfilling-prophecy-way into under performance on actual memory tasks. "For example, older adults will perform more poorly on a memory test if they are told that older folks do poorly on that particular type of memory test," said psychology professor Dr. Tom Hess.

Senior citizens who buy into the negative stereotypes of aging, the researchers at North Carolina State University concluded, score much worse on memory tests than senior citizens who do not buy into the negative stereotypes of aging.

But it is not only the way our senior citizens think of themselves that affects their memory test scores. The North Carolina State University study also found that senior citizens performed worse on memory tests when the believed they were being looked down on by others because of their age.

"Such situations may be a part of older adults' everyday experience," Dr. Tom Hess said, "such as being concerned about what others think of them at work having a negative effect on their performance - and thus potentially reinforcing the negative stereotypes."

The North Carolina State University study does, however, offer some hope to senior citizens. By concluding that negative self image and societal stigmatism of the elderly negatively effects performance on memory tests, they also proved that the inverse is true. Those senior citizens who did not believe older people naturally perform poorly on tests of memory, and who did not experience societal stigmatism of the elderly perform better on memory tests.

Therefore the best way to keep your memory sharp as you grow older is to believe your memory will stay sharp as you grow older. The best way to keep your loved one's memories sharp as they grow older is to treat them with respect and dignity and to express your belief in their ability to continue to function cognitively.

Hess is the lead author on the study, "Moderators of and Mechanisms Underlying Stereotype Threat Effects on Older Adults' Memory Performance." Co-authors on the study are former NC State students Joey T. Hinson and Elizabeth A. Hodges. The study was published online April 1 by Experimental Aging Research.