In a research study, elders who had been exposed to ageist beliefs their whole lives displayed poorer memory than younger participants and other elders who had not been exposed to ageist beliefs. This outcome was most likely due to _____.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The poorer memory displayed by elders who had been exposed to ageist beliefs their whole lives is most likely due to stereotype threat. Stereotype threat refers to the negative impact that stereotypes can have on an individual's performance in a particular domain, such as memory. When individuals feel like they are being judged or evaluated based on a negative stereotype about their group, their performance can be negatively affected. In this case, the elders who had been exposed to ageist beliefs their whole lives may have internalized negative stereotypes about aging and memory, which in turn could have diminished their confidence and negatively impacted their performance on memory tasks.

In a Research Study, Elders Who Had Been Exposed to Ageist