title: Aging and memory for self-performed tasks: effects of task difficulty and time pressure.
abstract: An increase in task difficulty or time pressure during the performance of cognitive tasks decreased the ability of older adults to recall the tasks. In Experiments 1 and 2, adult age differences in recall of cognitive tasks were smaller for easier than for more difficult tasks, and, in Experiment 3, adult age differences were smaller for recall of cognitive tasks without time pressure than for recall of cognitive tasks with time pressure. During difficult or time-pressured cognitive tasks, older adults may become anxious about their performance, and they may have trouble inhibiting negative self-evaluative thoughts about their performance. Older adults may thus devote less attention to aspects of the cognitive tasks that would be beneficial for task recall.
authors.affiliation: Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University, 5353 Parkside Drive, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA. jearles@fau.edu
authors.forename: Julie L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Earles
authors.forename: Alan W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Kersten
authors.forename: Beverley
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Berlin Mas
authors.forename: Dana M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Miccio
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011939:Mental Recall; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012649:Self Concept; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors