Priming of Landmarks During Object-Location Tasks: Effects on Self-Efficacy of Older Adults. Kyle R. Kraemer & Sheila R. Black, Ph.D. Cognitive Aging Laboratory Department of Psychology, The University of Alabama Question Method Results Would conceptually priming a landmark in a display result in better memory for the target object . Will the priming manipulation yield the same benefits in recall to both younger and older adults. What impact will performance have on self-efficacy with respect to object location tasks? Procedure 3 Full Practice Trials 1st Self-Efficacy Measure 30 Full Experimental Trials 2nd Self-Efficacy Measure Participants 62 Older adults recruited from Tuscaloosa, AL area 59 Younger adults recruited through UA subject pool Main Analyses: Younger adults remembered significantly more, F(1,117) = 65.524, p<.001, responded more quickly, F(1,117) = 44.339, p<.001, and experienced a significantly attenuated decline in self-efficacy when compared to younger adults, F(1,117) = 3.995, p<.05. Primed participants did not show a significant advantage in accuracy, F(1,115) = .024, p>.87, response time, F(1,115)= .643, p>.42, or change in self-efficacy, F(1,117) = .720, p>.39. Secondary Analyses Education, r(58)=.282, p<.05, and computer use, r(58)=.345, p<.01, were both associated with higher performance among older adults. Age differences exist in task self-efficacy even when controlling for task performance, F(1,115)= 7.791, p<.01. Memory Accuracy significantly correlated with our measure of task-specific self-efficacy, and the correlation was stronger after participants completed the study (After Practice: r(116)=.350, p<.001; After complete study: r(116)=.498, p<.001), suggesting that our adapted measure has validity. Object-Location Memory Assessment Music Tune Banjo Saxophone Prime Group Sugar Flour Dolphin Porpoise No-Prime Group 10 Category Decisions (Same or Different) 10 Category Decisions (Same or Different) 10-Second Video Exposure Introduction In tasks that measure object-location memory, older adults consistently perform more poorly than younger adults (Meulenbroek et al., 2010; Pertzov et al., 2015). There is considerable interest in training programs that can slow or reverse memory decline in older adults. Increasingly, people are investigating use of computerized, automated training programs (Haesner et al., 2015) Self-efficacy, or how effective a person thinks he/she will be at successfully completing a task, is an important factor in training programs and can increase effort and motivation. Self-efficacy itself can be improved through perceived success in domain-specific performances (Bandura, 1977). Performance on an object-location task is improved when participants utilize environmental cues, such as landmarks (Meulenbroek et al., 2010). Often researchers manipulate the perceptual salience of landmarks to determine if it increases the landmark’s effectiveness. However, until now, researchers have not manipulated semantic salience to influence the effectiveness of a landmark (Caduff & Timpf, 2008). In the current study, we manipulated a landmark’s semantic salience through a priming manipulation to increase memory for certain objects. Hypotheses Incidental conceptual priming will make environmental context more accessible during an object-location task, thus increasing performance Individuals whose performance is increased through priming will show better self-efficacy for the object-location task than individuals without the priming. The current study did not find evidence for conceptual priming improving memory performance or self-efficacy. Possible explanations include the weaker nature of mediated priming, poor landmark-item binding, and/or insufficient priming of the landmark. Among older adults, object-location memory was strongest in those with high levels of education and high computer use. Future research may help to determine whether the effect of computer use was unique to virtual environments. Interventions may consider the potential benefit of daily computer use in attenuating decline in object-location memory. Age differences in object-location memory are clearly evident. However, age differences in self-efficacy are likely due to factors other than actual ability. Given the importance of self-efficacy to training success, this finding emphasizes the importance of improving self-efficacy for memory in older adults. Discussion -.022 (ns) .498** Object-Location Memory Performance Task Self-Efficacy Motivation Figure 3. The Relationship Between Performance, Self-Efficacy, and Motivation. Self-Efficacy Memory Performance Priming Email: krkraemer@crimson.ua.edu