Forgetful but forgiven: How age and life style affect perceptions of memory failure

Abstract

Young and older perceivers read a narrative in which a forgetful young or old target was described as having either a young or old life style. Perceivers attributed memory failures more to mental difficulty for old targets but to lack of effort for young targets, regardless of life style. Life style did make a difference in perceivers' memory opinion and sympathy for the old but not for the young targets. Perceivers had a less negative memory opinion when the old target had an old rather than a young life style. Also, the old target with the old life style elicited a greater degree of sympathy in young perceivers, but a lesser degree of sympathy in older perceivers.