Positive bias is a defining characteristic of aging to the same extent as declining performance

• Published in: International journal of psychology 2013-08, Vol.48 (4), p.704-714
• Main Authors: Simón, Teresa, Suengas, Aurora G., Ruiz-Gallego-Largo, Trinidad, Bandrés, Javier
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Ageing; Aging; Aging - physiology; Aging - psychology; Bias; Cognition; Cognitive performance; Discriminant Analysis; Elderly people; Emotions; Face; Faces; Female; Humans; Losses vs. gains; Male; Mental Recall; Positive bias; Recognition (Psychology)
• ISSN: 0020-7594; 1464-066X
• DOI: 10.1080/00207594.2012.718781

The aim of this study was to analyze whether one of the supposed gains of aging—positive bias—discriminates between young and older participants to the same extent as some of the losses in cognitive performance—recall and source monitoring—that come with age. Two age groups (N = 120)—young (M = 22.08, SD = 3.30) and older (M = 72.78, SD = 6.57)—carried out three tasks with varying levels of difficulty that included recall, recognition, and source monitoring using pictures, faces, and personal descriptors exchanged in a conversation as stimuli. The results of the discriminant analysis performed on 20 dependent variables indicated that six of them were key in discriminating between young and older participants. Younger participants outperformed older participants in recalling pictures, and in recognizing the descriptors exchanged in a conversation, as well as in monitoring their source. Just as important in discriminating between the two groups were the ability to recognize previously seen pictures, the likability rating they produced, and the recognition of faces with positive expressions—all superior in older participants. Thus, variables related to a positive bias—likability ratings and recognition of positive expressions—characterize the differences as a function of age as well as variables related to cognitive performance, such as recall and source monitoring. In addition, the likability ratings evoked by both pictures and faces were also significantly higher in the older participants with better cognitive performance than in those who performed poorly. This effect was not present in younger participants. The results are interpreted within the framework of socioemotional selectivity theory as evidence for a positive bias in old age. The connection between a positive bias and the maintenance of cognitive performance is also discussed. L'objectif de cette étude est de voir si un des gains supposés du vieillissement, le biais positif, discrimine entre des participants jeunes et d'autres plus vieux autant que certaines pertes de la performance cognitive (rappel et monitoring de source) qui apparaissent avec l’âge. Deux groupes d’âges (N = 120), des jeunes (M = 22.08, É‐T = 3.30) et des plus vieux (M = 72.78, É‐T = 6.57), accomplissent trois tâches expérimentales plus ou moins difficiles comprenant le rappel, la reconnaissance et le monitoring de la source et qui utilisent des stimuli constitués de photos, de visages et de descriptions de personnes échangés