Stereotype Threat, Aging, and Memory

描述（由申请人提供）：我们的文化中存在许多关于老年人的负面刻板印象。最普遍的观点之一是认为老年的特征是无能、行动迟缓和健忘，而这些特征是衰老过程中不可避免的方面。尽管有大量科学证据表明认知能力正在下降，但越来越多的证据表明人们对衰老的看法不那么悲观。例如，衰老对记忆的影响并不普遍，因为某些类型的记忆技能随着衰老而变化很小。其次，还有新的证据表明，观察到的记忆力年龄差异的程度受到影响老年人动机和任务参与度的情境因素的影响。最后，也是本研究的重点，研究还表明，我们对衰老的负面刻板印象可能会对绩效产生负面影响，而与衰老对绩效的任何不可避免的影响无关。本文提出的研究将使用刻板印象威胁框架更彻底地检验这种可能性。当刻板印象群体的成员（例如老年人）被置于可能证实刻板印象的位置（例如接受记忆测试）时，刻板印象威胁就会发生。在这种情况下，可以认为个人的焦虑和评价忧虑会加剧，这反过来会对他们的表现产生负面影响。提出了六项独立的研究来研究可能对老年人造成刻板印象威胁的情况以及其影响的因素。此类研究非常重要，可以帮助我们了解（a）与记忆表现年龄差异相关的因素，（b）刻板印象威胁的运作可能影响与衰老相关的能力评估的有效性的程度，以及（c）刻板印象威胁对老年人在可能被刻板印象的日常情况（例如工作环境）中的表现的潜在影响。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Many negative stereotypes about older adults exist in our culture. One of the most pervasive relates to the belief that old age is characterized by traits such as incompetence, slowing, and forgetfulness, and that these traits are inevitable aspects of the aging process. Whereas there is considerable scientific evidence that demonstrates declining cognitive skills, there is emerging evidence that suggests a less pessimistic view of aging. For example, the effects of aging on memory are not universal, in that there are certain types of memory skills that exhibit minimal change with aging. Second, there is also emerging evidence that the degree to which age differences in memory are observed is influenced by situational factors that affect older adults' motivations and engagement in the task. Finally, and the focus of the proposed research, research also suggests that our negative stereotypes of aging may negatively affect performance independently of any inevitable effects of aging on performance. The research proposed herein will more thoroughly examine this possibility using the stereotype threat framework. Stereotype threat is thought to occur when members of a stereotyped group (e.g., older adults) are put into a position of potentially confirming the stereotype (e.g., being tested for memory). In such a situation, it is assumed that the individual's anxiety and evaluation apprehension is heightened, which in turn negatively affects their performance. Six separate studies are proposed to examine the situations that might induce stereotype threat in older adults as well as the factors that underlie its influence. Such research is important in terms of helping us to understand (a) the factors associated with age differences in memory performance, (b) the extent to which the validity of aging-related ability assessments might be affected by the operation of stereotype threat, and (c) the potential impact of stereotype threat on the performance of older adults in everyday situations in which they might be stereotyped (e.g., work settings).