Self Perception of Memory Skills in the Healthy Elderly: Do Men and Women Differ? Leonard L. LaPointe Olivia Frymire Elizabeth Wilson-Fowler Elizabeth Crawford Matthew Stone Catherine Conlin Andrea Sell Yu-Chun Chih Rachel Saffo Janine Bartley Kristi Ney Elissa Arndt Erin Lundblom Jennifer Griesemer Florida State University Tallahassee, FL

Background 1 Metacognition has been defined as "knowledge and cognition about cognitive phenomena.” Flavell (1971) is one of the first researchers to define and expand the definition of metacognition Further, memory complaints, which may be related to self-perception of memory skills, may predict dementia One longitudinal Dutch study reported a higher incidence of mild cognitive dementia in those who reported memory complaints two years (Jonkers, et al, 2000)

Background 2 Previous research (LaPointe, et al, 2005) found age differences in the self-perception of memory skills as well as cross-cultural differences (U.S. and Hong Kong residents) in response to specific memory activities (remembering appointments, jokes, or grocery list items) Self-perception of memory skills and particularly gender differences in self-perception of memory are relatively unstudied at this time, particularly across specific activities that require memory skills

Research Questions Questions??? How’s my memory? Do women perceive their overall memory skills differently than men? Do men and women perceive themselves differently at remembering appointments; jokes; names; shopping list items? Do men and women have different attitudes about their own memory skills?

Threefold Purposes 1. To gather a relatively large data set on self-perception of memory and attitudes about personal memory skills in healthy elderly participants with no history of memory difficulty   2. To compare self-ratings of memory skills and attitudes about personal memory skills across in a sample of participants over 50 years of age 3. To compare memory self-perception and memory attitudes across a sample of men and women

Methods One hundred and forty nine (n=149) participants residing in the US were surveyed for this study (45 men and 104 women). Mean age of participants was 65.7 (SD of 10.1) No statistically significant differences were found in the ages of men (M= 67.9) and women (M=65) 127 participants completed a web-based survey (Surveymonkey.com) 22 completed an identical paper-based survey

Measures We used a global rating of self-perceived memory skills on a 10-point scale as well as a series of questions about memory Four questions were asked and rated on a 5-point scale In addition we used a 7-point semantic differential technique to derive attitudes about personal memory skills 10 semantic differential pairs of polar opposites were used for self-rating attitudes about personal memory

The Measures 1. A Global Rating of self-perceived memory skills Self-perception of memory and attitudes about personal memory skills were determined by: 1. A Global Rating of self-perceived memory skills Overall rating of your memory (Worst) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 (Best) 2. Memory Questions Example: “How often do you miss appointments?” Very Often Quite Often Occasionally Rarely Never 3. Semantic Differential (Quantification of attitudes from paired associates) Example: How would you rate your memory? Weak 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Strong

Overall Rating of Your Memory Please circle the number that you think characterizes your personal overall memory skills Overall Rating of Your Memory (Worst) (Best) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 You try it! Pick a number!

Semantic Differential: All Items Not Valuable 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Valuable Weak 1 through 7 Strong Fragile 1 through 7 Resilient Small 1 through 7 Large Bad 1 through 7 Good Confusing 1 through 7 Clear Difficult 1 through 7 Easy Dull 1 through 7 Sharp Slow 1 through 7 Fast Negative 1 through 7 Positive

Instructions We are exploring what people think about their own memory. Please answer the following questions about your own memory or memory skills. 1. Overall Rating: we would like you to choose a number that characterizes your idea of your overall memory or memory skills. Please circle a number from 1 (worst) to 10 (best) 2. Memory Questions: Circle the appropriate answer for each memory question 3. Semantic Differential: The Semantic Differential is a method researchers have developed for exploring attitudes about concepts, words, or events. We are very interested in your ideas about your own memory. Please think of your own memory or your memory skills. How would you rate your own memory or memory skills on the following scale? Consider each pair of opposite words. Circle the number that you feel represents your opinion of your own memory or memory skills. Complete all items. Thank You.

Results: Overall Scale (10 Point Global Rating of Your Overall Memory Skills) Women rated their own overall memory skills significantly lower than did men on the 10-point overall scale (Women M=6.8 [1.6]; Men M=7.4 [1.4]; t =2.2, df 147 p=.03).

Results: Specific Memory Skills Questions (5 point scale) Ratings of self-perceived memory for the 5-point specific memory questions revealed that women rated themselves lower (higher perceived incidents of forgetting) on two of the four memory questions. Women perceived their memory skills statistically significantly lower for remembering punch lines of jokes (Women’s Mean = 2.78 [1.0]; Men’s Mean= 3.13 [.92]; t = 2.03, df 147 p=.04)and for remembering to buy intended items during shopping (Men’s Mean = 3.24 [.76]; Woman’s Mean=3.51 [.79] t=1.98, df 147 p=.05) No gender differences for forgetting appointments or forgetting names

Results: Semantic Differential (Self Memory Attitudes) On the 7-point Semantic Differential scale of self-perceived attitudes about memory, women rated themselves statistically significantly differently than men on 3 of the 10 items Women rated their perceived self memory skills as significantly: Weaker Slower Negative

Conclusions We found a significant gender effect in our sample of 149 healthy elderly participants on several of our survey items of self-perception of memory skills Women rated their overall memory skills lower than men Women also rated themselves significantly more likely to forget punch lines of jokes and to forget items they intended to buy while shopping On our attitude scale of self-perceived memory skills, women rated their own memory as weaker, slower and more negative

Interpretations These findings may be interpreted in a variety of ways First, they may reflect societal, cultural, generational, and experiential self-perceptions of gender equity and role If men and women do tend to remember different things and if they perceive their own memory skills differently, this may either be a result of gender differences in cortical organization or perhaps a consequence of different societal expectations Societal gender stereotyping may play a role in forming self perceptions of memory skills Further research needs to be conducted on self perception of memory skills, particularly in light of the suggestion that perception of memory skills and memory complaints may be a precursor to mild dementia (Jonkers, et al, 2000).

References   Flavell, J. H. (1971). First discussant's comments: What is memory development the development of ? Human Development, 14, 272-278. Jonkers, C. Geerlings, M., & Schmand, B. (2000). Are memory complaints predictive for dementia? A review of clinical and population-based studies Int. j. geriatr. Psychiatry 15, 11, 983-991. LaPointe, L. L., et al, (2005). Self-perception of memory skills: Cross cultural and age differences. Presentation at annual convention of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Miami.