Perceived Control Over Memory Aging: Developmental and Intervention Perspectives

Abstract

Age differences in control beliefs were examined for several domains, including intellectual aging and memory, with a sample of 200 adults (ages 20–89). There were no age differences in control beliefs for the interpersonal or political domains. For the domains of health and intellectual aging, however, the older adults had lower internal control and higher external control beliefs than young and middle‐aged adults. The implications of these control beliefs are considered in the context of memory aging and memory training programs. A program of research is described that involves teaching older adults memory strategies in conjunction with cognitive restructuring of beliefs about the controllability of memory. The goal of the program is to optimize memory performance and attitudes about memory, as well as to identify some of the self‐appraisal and motivational mechanisms involved in memory aging.