Computer Testing of Memory Across the Adult Life Span

This study was designed to investigate whether differential experience with and reactions to computers among adults of different ages impact on adult age differences in computer memory testing. Participants were 141 community-dwelling adults, aged 18 to 87. Computer experience, computer anxiety, computer attitudes, and computer self-efficacy were measured in addition to several demographic items. Participants also completed a working-memory test on a desk top computer. Age was positively correlated with computer anxiety, but was not correlated with computer attitudes. In addition, older adults had less computer experience and lower computer self-efficacy. Computer experience, anxiety, and self-efficacy significantly mediated the relationship between age and computer-tested working memory performance. The results lend support to a model of cognitive aging that emphasizes the role of ability extraneous factors in accounting for some of the observed age-related differences in computer-tested memory.