Biased recollections in older adults: The role of implicit theories of aging.

Abstract

This research explored how older adults recall the traits they possessed at an earlier age. It was hypothesized that older adults' recollections would be related to their theories about aging. In Study 1, a group of older Ss provided their theories concerning how various traits change with age. Another group of older Ss rated their current status on these traits and recalled the status they possessed at a younger age. In addition, a group of younger adults rated their current status on the same traits. On traits theorized to increase with age, older Ss recalled themselves as possessing lower levels at an earlier age than the younger group reported possessing. On traits theorized to decrease with age, older Ss recalled themselves as possessing higher levels at an earlier age than the younger group reported possessing. Study 2 indicated that this effect is obtained regardless of trait positivity.

How temporal distance from past selves influences self‐perception

“…Perceptions of change also hinge on perceivers' implicit theories about the development of their attributes (e.g. Carstensen, Isaacowitz, & Charles, 1999;McFarland, Ross, & Giltrow, 1992;Ross & Conway, 1986). The general desire to remain closer to positive than to negative memories can produce biased perceptions of temporal distance (Ross & Wilson, 2002;Ryff, 1991;Wilson & Ross, 2001).…”

Posttraumatic Growth and Recovery from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

“…For example, many researchers have attempted to explore how schema-guided processing may affect perceptions of temporal change (e.g., Suls & Mullen, 1984;Suls, Marco & Tobin, 1991). While some research implies that the person's past qualities are affected by their current beliefs (e.g., Heckhausen et al, 1989;McFarland et al, 1992;Ryff, 1982), other research highlights how people's current qualities are affected by their recollections of their past qualities (e.g., Strack et al, 1985). For example, people assess whether their abilities are improving, whether their memory is deteriorating, and whether they are as happy as they used to be.…”

Gender, Social Class, and the Subjective Experience of Aging: Self-Perceived Personality Change From Early Adulthood to Late Midlife

“…Retrospective techniques also have been criticized for being inaccurate because they are based on strong schema-based processing. For example, Ross and his colleagues (Conway & Ross, 1984;McFarland, Ross, & Giltrow, 1992;Ross, 1989) argue that people have implicit theories of aging that guide how people recall changing (or not) on some attribute over time. For example, when asked about how they have changed on some attribute, they argue that people either invoke a theory of change (in which case people overestimate the amount of change that has occurred) or stability (in which case people underestimate the amount of change that has occurred).…”