title: "When the age is in, the wit is out": age-related self-categorization and deficit expectations reduce performance on clinical tests used in dementia assessment.
abstract: This study examined the combined effects of age-based self-categorization and aging expectations on cognitive performance in a clinical context. An experimental study manipulated older adults' salient self-categorization as Younger or Older, as well as expectations that aging involves a specific memory decline versus generalized cognitive decline. Memory and general ability tests that are typically used in dementia screening were then administered. As predicted, self-categorization as Older dramatically reduced performance, but the measure on which this effect was revealed depended on aging expectations. Participants who self-categorized as Older and expected memory to decline performed worse on memory tests. Conversely, participants who self-categorized as Older and expected widespread cognitive decline performed worse on the general ability test. The clinical implications for the latter group were profound, because 70% met the diagnostic criterion for dementia, compared with an average of 14% in other conditions. The importance of self-categorization processes when interpreting performance on tests used to diagnose dementia are discussed.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QG, United Kingdom. c.haslam@exeter.ac.uk
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Haslam
authors.forename: Thomas A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Morton
authors.forename: S Alexander
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Haslam
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Varnes
authors.forename: Rosanna
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Graham
authors.forename: Leila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gamaz
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis; D003704:Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012649:Self Concept; D013240:Stereotyping