Self-perception of memory skills:
Cross cultural and age differences
Leonard L. LaPointe
Lorraine A. Book
Stacey M. Brenner
Jessica L. Brown
Vanessa E. Diaz
Sarah A. Ganas
Emily R. Marturana
David K. McCoy
Jessica G. Paulk
Allison M. Plumb
Karen L. Yuhas
Department of Communication Disorders
Florida State University
NeuroLinguistic-NeuroCognitive Research Center
Tallahassee, FL 32306-1200
Background 1.
Metacognition – “knowledge and cognition about
cognitive matters” Flavell (1971)
Metamemory – “the knowledge, values, attitudes,
thinking and analysis of human memory”
Literature suggests:
– Self-perception of memory skills varies across clinical
populations who have cognitive-linguistic impairment
– Anxiety about self-perceived memory skills
Background 2.
This study arose from discussions of selfperception of memory skills in a graduate course
on cognitive-linguistic interactions at Florida
State University
Questions raised:
– Does self-perception of memory differ in those with
mild cognitive impairment?
– Does self-perception of memory vary across age?
– Does self-perception of memory skills vary across
professions, cultures, or degree of intoxication?
Purposes
To devise and assemble methods for measuring selfperception of memory
To gather a relatively large data set on selfperception of memory and attitudes about personal
memory skills in participants with no history of
memory difficulty
To determine if differences exist in self-perceptions
of memory relative to age and culture in our sample
The Measures
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)
1.
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
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.
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
You try it! Pick a number!
10
Memory Questions
Circle the appropriate number for each question
1. How often do you forget appointments?
Very Often
Quite Often
Occasionally
Rarely
1
2
3
4
2. How often do you want to tell a joke but find you can’t remember it?
Very Often
Quite Often
Occasionally
Rarely
Never
5
Never
1
2
3
3. How often do you forget people's names?
Very Often
Quite Often
Occasionally
4
5
Rarely
Never
1
4
5
2
3
4.When you go shopping, how often do you forget items you intended to buy?
Very Often
Quite Often
Occasionally
Rarely
Never
1
2
3
4
5
Semantic Differential: All Items
Not Valuable
1
2 3 45 6
7
Valuable
Weak
1
through 7
Fragile
1
through 7
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
Strong
Resilient
Methods: Participants
139 participants were surveyed for this study
– 116 from United States
(Mean age = 41 years (SD 16.1)
• (81 males and 35 females)
– 23 from Hong Kong, SAR (Mean age = 33 years
(SD 8.6)
• (8 males and 15 females)
Results: Descriptive Statistics
1. Overall Rating (10 point scale)
Group (US and HK)
Mean = 6.59 (1.48)
US residents
Mean = 6.95 (1.41)
Hong Kong residents
Mean = 6.22 (1.55)
Results: Descriptive Statistics
2. Memory Questions (5 point scale; 4 questions pooled)
Group (US and HK)
Mean = 3.27 (.60)
US residents
Mean = 3.29 (.56)
Hong Kong
Mean = 3.24 (.64)
Semantic Differential
(7 Point Scale)
Group (US and HK)
Mean = 5.36 (.74)
US residents
Mean = 5.34 (.88)
Hong Kong
Mean = 5.41 (.60)
Results: Memory Measures
10-Point Scale
4-Point Scale
4
10
3.5
9
Grou p
8
7
6
6.59
6.95
US
*
HK
3
2.5
Group
US
HK
2
1
7
1. Overall (Global)
6
Self-Rating of Memory
5
difference in Overall
between US and Hong
Kong. Other measures
did not reach
significance.
3.29 3.24
1.5
6.22
*Statistically significant
3.27
2. Memory Questions
7-Point Scale
5.36 5.31 5.41
4
US
HK
3
2
1
Group
3. Semantic Differential
Results: Overall (Global) Rating of Self-Perceived
Memory Skills
(10 point scale)
6.95
*
8
7.8
7.6
7.4
7.2
7
6.8
6.6
6.4
6.2
6
Global Rating
6.22
US
Hong Kong
Statistically significant difference t test for unequal means (t(137)=2.09, p = 0.019
Age Differences (Or lack of…)
4
3.5
10
3
9
8
6
5
Older
6.59
3.3
Young
Older
2.5
Young
7
3.31
2
6.7
Questions
7
Overall
No statistically significant
differences between younger and
older groups in self-perception of
memory skills on any of our 3
measures
6
5
4
5.4
5.16
Older
3
2
1
Young
Semantic Differential
Memory Questions: Differences
in Age and Culture
“How often do you want to tell a joke and can’t
remember it?”
– Older Group rated their skills significantly lower
(t(137) = 2.11, p=.01)
“How often do you forget appointments?” and
“How often do you forget people’s names?”
– US group reported significantly better skills than
Hong Kong group (t(137)=1l95, p=.02)
“..Remembering jokes?”
– Hong Kong group reported significantly better
memory skills than US group (t(137)=2.37, p=.00)
US Group Better at Remembering Appointments
and Names
Hong Kong Group better at Remembering Jokes
“Hi, Fred. I’m here on time!”
“A priest, a rabbi, and
a monk went into a
bar…”
Conclusions
Some of us have quite low estimates of our own
memory skills
No differences in memory self-perceptions for age in
this sample
US residents rated their overall memory skills higher
than Hong Kong residents
Older group rated themselves lower at remembering
jokes
Hong Kong group rated themselves better at jokes
US group rated themselves better at names and
appointments
Research needs to be extended to clinical populations
(e.g., Parkinson disease, dementia, stroke, TBI
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