Contributions from practical problem-solving ability, memory locus of control, and memory self-efficacy to memory performance for American-born and Russian-speaking elderly.

摘要

The present study examined the contributions of everyday problem-solving styles, memory locus of control, memory self-efficacy, and culture in predicting memory performance in Russian-speaking and American-born elderly. Memory locus of control and everyday problem-solving styles have not been investigated in relation to memory performance, cross-culturally or otherwise. Thirty American-born (age M = 72.10) and 30 Russian-speaking older adults (age M = 77.60) completed the demographic questionnaire, the Rivermead Behavioral Memory Test, the Memory Self-Efficacy Questionnaire (Berry, West, & Dennehey, 1989), the Capacity and the Locus scales from the Metamemory In Adulthood (Dixon & Hultsch, 1983), the Everyday Problem Solving Inventory (Cornelius & Caspi, 1987), the Beck Depression Inventory (Beck et al., 1961), and the Schwartz Value Survey (Schwartz, 1992). Multivariate analyses of covariance were performed to test for the differences in means between groups. Although there were no significant differences on the individualistic/collectivist dimension, the Russians rated conformity values as significantly more important than the Americans. The Americans rated the self-direction values as significantly more important than the Russians. Both, the Russians and the Americans showed a significant trend for utilizing combined problem focused action and cognitive problem analysis approaches (AB) in problem-solving. For the Americans, results indicated a significant negative relationship between the combined passive-dependent and an avoidant thinking and denial approaches (CD) and memory performance and for the Russians, a significant positive relationship between the approaches AB and memory performance. None of the approaches were correlated with memory self-efficacy and memory locus of control. The Russians' memory locus of control was more external and their memory self-efficacy was lower than that of the Americans'. Although the Russians scored in a significantly depressed range on the BDI (M = 17.17, SD = 7.33), it did not impact on any of the dependent variables. For both groups, there were significant relationships in the expected direction between the value ratings and dependent variables. In sum, results demonstrated that culture had an impact on dependent variables investigated in this study. Researchers and clinicians working with this population may want to consider cultural differences in personality characteristics and their impact on day-to-day functioning.