Self-Regulatory Focus Predicts Everyday Memory Strategy Use for Older, but Not Young, Adults

This study examined the role of memory-specific self-regulatory focus in guiding young and older adults' usage of everyday memory strategies Participants included 164 young (ages 18-23) and 204 older (ages 68-75) adults. Structural equation modeling tested our hypothesis that participants' prevention-based and promotion-based self-regulatory focus influences memory strategy use through memory beliefs (memory self-efficacy, present control, future control) and participant perceptions of the memory strategies' focus toward maximizing memory functioning versus preventing future memory decline. We modeled participants' utilization of both use-it-or-lose-it strategies (commonly used by older adults) and task-focused strategies (commonly used by young adults). Older adults endorsed stronger prevention-based and promotion-based self-regulatory focus than young adults did. We also found strong evidence that, for older adults, the significant relationship between self-regulatory focus and memory strategy use for both use-it-or-lose-it and task-focused strategies was frequently mediated by memory beliefs and less frequently mediated by the perceived focus of the strategies. In contrast, self-regulatory focus did not predict memory strategy use for young adults. Results suggest that encouraging a promotion- or prevention-focused lens based on an individual's memory self-efficacy and perceived control over their memory may foster optimal memory strategy selection in older adults' daily lives.