@article{hess_hinson_hodges_2009, title={Moderators of and Mechanisms Underlying Stereotype Threat Effects on Older Adults' Memory Performance}, volume={35}, ISSN={["1096-4657"]}, DOI={10.1080/03610730802716413}, abstractNote={Recent research has suggested that negative stereotypes about aging may have a detrimental influence on older adults' memory performance. This study sought to determine whether stereotype-based influences were moderated by age, education, and concerns about being stigmatized. Possible mechanisms underlying these influences on memory performance were also explored. The memory performance of adults aged 60 to 70 years and 71 to 82 years was examined under conditions designed to induce or eliminate stereotype threat. Threat was found to have a greater impact on performance in the young-old than in the old-old group, whereas the opposite was observed for the effects of stigma consciousness. In both cases, the effects were strongest for those with higher levels of education. Further analyses found little evidence in support of the mediating roles of affective responses or working memory. The only evidence of mediation was found with respect to recall predictions, suggesting a motivational basis of threat effects on performance. These findings highlight the specificity of stereotype threat effects in later adulthood as well as possible mechanisms underlying such effects.}, number={2}, journal={EXPERIMENTAL AGING RESEARCH}, author={Hess, Thomas M. and Hinson, Joey T. and Hodges, Elizabeth A.}, year={2009}, pages={153–177} }
 @article{hess_germain_rosenberg_leclerc_hodges_2005, title={Aging-related selectivity and susceptibility to irrelevant affective information}, volume={12}, ISSN={["1744-4128"]}, DOI={10.1080/13825580590925170}, abstractNote={Abstract Two experiments were conducted to examine the hypothesis that aging is associated with an increase in the selectivity associated with task engagement and related cognitive resource allocation. Adults ranging in age from 20 to 83 years were asked to provide attitude ratings about fictitious political program proposals that varied in terms of personal relevance. Of primary interest was the extent to which these attitude ratings would be influenced by the likability of the individual (i.e., source) responsible for the programs. Consistent with expectations, older adults were more likely than younger adults to provide attitude ratings consistent with the likableness of the source, with this effect being moderated by need for structure and personal relevance. The findings are supportive of the general argument that older adults are able to monitor and control the impact of irrelevant information on performance, but are most likely to engage in such operations in situations of high meaningfulness. Younger adults exhibit similar effects, but the variability across levels of meaningfulness increases with age, a pattern consistent with an aging-related increase in selectivity.}, number={2}, journal={AGING NEUROPSYCHOLOGY AND COGNITION}, author={Hess, TM and Germain, CM and Rosenberg, DC and Leclerc, CM and Hodges, EA}, year={2005}, month={Jun}, pages={149–174} }