Metamemory and memory for text relationships in adulthood: a cross-validation study.

An eight factor instrument, representing a multidimensional construct of metamemory, was administered to three samples of adults: Sample 1 (young, 18 to 31; old 60 to 81), Sample 2 (young, 21 to 39); middle-aged, 39 to 58; old, 60 to 84), and Sample 3 (young, 21 to 39; middle-aged, 39 to 58; old, 60 to 74). Participants in each sample were also presented with a set of text recall tasks. The recall protocols were scored according to the propositional system of Kintsch. Pearson product-moment correlations and stepwise multiple regressions within each age group and sample indicated several instances of age-related predictive patterns. In particular, whereas the recall performances of both younger and older adults was related to knowledge dimensions of metamemory, the performance of older adults was also predicted by affective dimensions.