AGING, ATTRIBUTIONS, PERCEIVED CONTROL, AND STRATEGY USE IN A FREE-RECALL TASK

A cross-sectional sample of adults answered two questionnaires regardi ng beliefs about memory, took a free recall memory test, and then answ ered two open-ended questions obtaining causal attributions for memory task performance. Adults of all ages most frequently attributed memor y performance to internal skills (typically, strategies for learning a nd remembering), although older adults were more likely than younger a dults to make internal-ability attributions. Self-reported strategies were classified into three ranked categories: (a) optimal (some form o f relational processing), (b) marginal (e.g., rote rehearsal), or (C) none (e.g., nonspecific effort). Use of optimal strategies was positiv ely related to recall performance and perceived control over memory fo r persons of all ages. Age differences in use of strategies were small and did not account for age differences in memory performance.