The importance of active lifestyles for memory performance and memory self-knowledge

The relation between knowledge about memory capacity, delayed recall on a 1 5-word-list task, and sociological lifestyle variables was examined in a sa mple of 1,398 adults ranging in age between 25 and 82. Participants were sa mpled fi-om a registration network of family medical practices representing the general population of the south of The Netherlands. Participants were stratified for age, sex, and level of occupational achievement. We found th at lifestyle opportunity structure as indicated by social network character istics and lifestyle conduct as indicated by activity scores were related p ositively to the dependent variables of memory knowledge and delayed recall . Study results showed that participants with better delayed recall scores had larger social networks, were younger, were more frequently female, had more years of education, and were less externally oriented. Participants wi th higher metamemory capacity scores had more frequent contacts in their so cial network, considered themselves more frequently an active person, were younger, were female, reported fewer health complaints, and had a higher in ternal locus of control. Delayed recall scores did not predict metamemory c apacity scores after we controlled for other variables. The results support the conclusion that cognitive performance is influenced significantly by l ifestyle components.