Eric D Leshikar1, Jung M Park2, Angela H Gutchess2. 1. Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Chicago. leshikar@uic.edu. 2. Department of Psychology, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Similarity to the self has been shown to affect memory for impressions in younger adults, suggesting a self-reference effect in person memory. Because older adults show comparable self-reference effects, but prioritize memory for positive over negative information relative to young adults, we examined age differences in self-similarity effects on memory for positive and negative impressions. METHOD: Younger and older adults formed positive and negative impressions of others differing in the degree of similarity to the self (high, medium, low). RESULTS: For positive impressions, both groups showed enhanced memory for self-similar others relative to dissimilar others, whereas for negative impressions, memory was poorer for those similar to the self. When collapsed across similarity to the self, younger adults remembered negative impressions better than older adults, but interestingly, older adults exhibited a trend for better memory for the positive impressions. DISCUSSION: Results suggest that self-reference effects in impression memory are preserved with age and that older adults exhibit positivity effects in person memory consistent with previous findings.
OBJECTIVES: Similarity to the self has been shown to affect memory for impressions in younger adults, suggesting a self-reference effect in person memory. Because older adults show comparable self-reference effects, but prioritize memory for positive over negative information relative to young adults, we examined age differences in self-similarity effects on memory for positive and negative impressions. METHOD: Younger and older adults formed positive and negative impressions of others differing in the degree of similarity to the self (high, medium, low). RESULTS: For positive impressions, both groups showed enhanced memory for self-similar others relative to dissimilar others, whereas for negative impressions, memory was poorer for those similar to the self. When collapsed across similarity to the self, younger adults remembered negative impressions better than older adults, but interestingly, older adults exhibited a trend for better memory for the positive impressions. DISCUSSION: Results suggest that self-reference effects in impression memory are preserved with age and that older adults exhibit positivity effects in person memory consistent with previous findings.
Authors: Ryan C Leach; Matthew P McCurdy; Michael C Trumbo; Laura E Matzen; Eric D Leshikar Journal: J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci Date: 2019-09-15 Impact factor: 4.077
Authors: Jonathan D Jackson; Cindy Luu; Abigail Vigderman; Eric D Leshikar; Peggy L St Jacques; Angela Gutchess Journal: Psychol Neurosci Date: 2018-08-30
Authors: Camill Burden; Ryan C Leach; Allison M Sklenar; Pauline Urban Levy; Andrea N Frankenstein; Eric D Leshikar Journal: Brain Behav Date: 2021-11-03 Impact factor: 2.708
Authors: George O Ilenikhena; Haajra Narmawala; Allison M Sklenar; Matthew P McCurdy; Angela H Gutchess; Eric D Leshikar Journal: Front Psychol Date: 2021-06-09