¿Existe un Sesgo de Sobregeneralización y un Efecto de Positividad Relacionado con la Edad?

Abstract

Many studies support a change in the recall of autobiographical memories with aging. It is interesting to describe the way aging affects the valence and specificity of autobiographical recollection. Eighty-seven young adults and 75 older adults were assessed using the AMT. Two mixed ANOVA were performed with two groups and three types of memories (specific, general, vague), and three valences (positive, negative, neutral). The first showed significant main effects for group, type of memory, and interaction. The second showed main effects for group, valence, and interaction. Young people showed a greater number of specific memories, and older adults produced more general and vague responses; for valence, young people obtained a greater number of negative responses, as opposed to the positivity effect shown by the older adults. An effect of overgeneralization of memory was found in the older adults, as well as an effect of positivity on the autobiographical memory.