MEMORY SELF‐EFFICACY AND STRATEGY USE INSUCCESSFUL ELDERS

Abstract

Studies have demonstrated that in their everyday lives older adults use external memory strategies more often than they use internal memory strategies. However, previous research has failed to account for person and task variables influenced by efficacy expectations. The use of internal and external memory strategies in relation to memory efficacy, anxiety, depression, and health status was examined. Participants were 169 community‐residing adults age 55 or older (mean age = 67.95, SD = 6.35) who had no depression and high perceived health status and were recruited from continuing education programs in Louisiana and Texas. External memory strategies (M. = 3.75) such as lists and notes were used significantly more often than internal memory strategies (M = 3.49) such as elaboration and rehearsal, t(157) = 5.474, p = .0001. Even though the correlations between memory efficacy and the strategy variables were insignificant, there was a significant decrease in memory efficacy with age. The bivariate correlations between anxiety and self‐efficacy, both level and strength (r = ‐.31), and between anxiety and external strategy use (r = .20) were significant. There was a significant inverse correlation between anxiety and health status (r = ‐.35). Implications for educational gerontology programs are discussed.