Optimal Cognitive Offloading: Increased Reminder Usage But Reduced Proreminder Bias in Older Adults

• Published in: Psychology and aging 2023-11, Vol.38 (7), p.684-695
• Main Authors: Tsai, Pei-Chun, Scarampi, Chiara, Kliegel, Matthias, Gilbert, Sam J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Age Differences; Aging; Cognitive bias; Cognitive Processes; Delayed; External memory; Female; Human; Intention; Male; Memory; Metacognition; Older Adulthood; Older people; Prospective Memory; Reminders; Retention; Strategies; Weighing
• ISSN: 0882-7974; 1939-1498
• DOI: 10.1037/pag0000751

Research into prospective memory suggests that older adults may face particular difficulties remembering delayed intentions. One way to mitigate these difficulties is by using external reminders but relatively little is known about age-related differences in such cognitive offloading strategies. We examined younger and older adults' (N = 88) performance on a memory task where they chose between remembering delayed intentions with internal memory (earning maximum reward per item) or external reminders (earning a reduced reward). This allowed us to distinguish (a) the absolute number of reminders used versus (b) the proreminder or antireminder bias, compared with each individual's optimal strategy. Older adults used more reminders overall, as might be expected, because they also had poorer memory performance. However, when compared against the optimal strategy weighing the costs versus benefits of reminders, it was only the younger adults who had a proreminder bias. Younger adults overestimated the benefit of reminders, whereas older adults underestimated it. Therefore, even when aging is associated with increased use of external memory aids overall, it can also be associated with reduced preference for external memory support, relative to the objective need for such support. This age-related difference may be driven at least in part by metacognitive processes, suggesting that metacognitive interventions could lead to improved use of cognitive tools. Public Significance Statement People often use external reminders like calendars or smartphone that alerts to help them remember delayed intentions; however, little is known about whether younger and older adults have different preferences for using these techniques rather than internal memory. Using an experimental task, we found that older adults tended to use reminders more often than younger participants; however, this increase was relatively small compared with their decline in memory ability. Therefore, when compared against the actual need for reminders, younger adults had a greater preference for external memory support than older participants.