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Cited by 578Aging and Gerontology ResearchMemory Processes and InfluencesSocial and Intergroup Psychology

The impact of stereotype threat on age differences in memory performance

Hess, T. M., Auman, C., Colcombe, S. J., Rahhal, T. A.·2003·The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences
DOI 10.1093/geronb/58.1.p3
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Abstract

This study investigated the hypothesis that age differences in memory performance may be influenced by stereotype threat associated with negative cultural beliefs about the impact of aging on memory. Recall was examined in 48 young and 48 older adults under conditions varying in the degree of induced threat. Conditions that maximize threat resulted in lower performance in older adults relative to both younger adults and to older adults who did not experience threat. The degree to which threat affected older adults' performance increased along with the value that these individuals placed on their memory ability. Older adults' memory performance across experimental conditions was observed to covary with degree of activation of the negative aging stereotype, providing support for the hypothesized relationship between stereotype activation and performance. Finally, stereotype threat also influenced mnemonic strategy use, which in turn partially mediated the impact of threat on recall. These results emphasize the important role played by contextual factors in determining age differences in memory performance.

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Crossref · 10.1093/geronb/58.1.p3

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  • Stereotype threat compromises performance in domains beyond academics, including White men in athletics, older adults in memory tasks, and men in social sensitivity tasks.

    “Moreover, stereotype threat compromises performance in domains beyond academics; for example, threat effects have been shown for White men in athletics (Stone, Lynch, Sjomeling, & Darley, 1999), older adults in memory tasks (Hess, Auman, Colcombe, & Rahhal, 2003;Levy, 1996), and men in social sensitivity tasks (Koenig & Eagly, 2005).”

    From Managing to clear the air: Stereotype threat, women, and leadership (2016) · cites this paper as Hess, Auman, Colcombe, & Rahhal, 2003

  • Internalized negative stereotypes can cause older adults to experience a decline in cognitive (e.g., memory) and psychological performances.

    “Internalized negative stereotypes can cause older adults to experience a decline in cognitive (e.g., memory) and psychological performances (Hehman & Bugental, 2015; Hess et al., 2003).”

    From Digital ageism: challenges and opportunities in artificial intelligence for older adults (2022) · cites this paper as Hess et al., 2003

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Authors
Hess, T. M., Auman, C., Colcombe, S. J., & Rahhal, T. A.
Affiliations
North Carolina State University (US)
Corresponding author
Hess, T. M.
ORCID
Venue
The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences
Publisher
Oxford University Press (OUP)
Published
2003-01-01
Volume
58
Issue
1
Pages
P3-P11
ISSN
  • 1079-5014 (ISSN-L)
  • 1758-5368
DOI
10.1093/geronb/58.1.p3
OpenAlex
W2147537006
Cited by
578
References
43
Citations by year
2026: 7 · 2025: 12 · 2024: 18 · 2023: 19 · 2022: 20 · 2021: 26 · 2020: 65 · 2019: 24 · 2018: 45 · 2017: 32 · 2016: 46 · 2015: 36 · 2014: 22 · 2013: 30 · 2012: 25
FWCI
16.03
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • The Journals of Gerontology Series B (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
National Institute on Aging (AG05552, R01AG020153)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology › Aging and Gerontology Research
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory Processes and Influences
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Social and Intergroup Psychology
Keywords
stereotype threat, age differences in memory, age stereotypes, older adults, memory retrieval, stereotype activation
MeSH terms
Age Factors, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Aging, Anxiety, Attitude, Female, Humans, Male, Memory, Memory Disorders, Middle Aged, Neuropsychological Tests, Mental Recall, Stereotyping, Cluster Analysis

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