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Primary Investigator: Dr. Daniela Jopp

Project Partner: Prof. Christopher Hertzog, School of Psychology, Georgia Institute of Technology,
Project Team: Dr. Daniela Jopp (responsible project member), Prof. Christopher Hertzog, Jarrod Hines,

Project Description

Background

This research project focuses on resources, strategies, and beliefs as central determinants of successful development over the entire life-span. Having mostly been investigated separately in the past, this project assesses all three components concurrently and with respect to their interplay in the context of cognitive functioning. The project examines the specific effect of resources (cognitive, health, and social), memory strategies and memory beliefs on memory performance and on cognitive aging, and explores the additional effects related to the interplay of these factors.

Aims

The project investigates the role of resources, memory strategies and memory beliefs for the memory performance of young, middle-aged, and older individuals. Research questions address: What role do cognitive resources and beliefs have on the use of memory strategies? Can the use of strategies mitigate the negative effects of age-related loss of resources? Does the usage of strategies by individuals with poor resources depend on their beliefs?

Method

The project involved the development of several questionnaires designed to assess beliefs about memory. In particular, they assess beliefs about factors which: (a) Affect memory performance, (b) Influence memory aging, and (c) Measure the influence of these factors at different points in an individual’s life-span.

Results

Preliminary findings show that the questionnaires developed for this project represent valid and reliable measures with good psychometric properties.

Publications and Materials

Jopp, D., & Hertzog, C. (2007). Activities, self-referent beliefs and cognitive performance: Evidence for
Jopp, D., & Hertzog, C. (2008, July). Adaptation in adulthood: Which roles resources, strategies, and beliefs
Jopp, D., & Hertzog, C. (2007, November). Memory action control beliefs: Relations to strategy use and
Jopp, D., & Hertzog, C. (2007, September). Resilienz bei jungen, mittelalten und älteren Personen: Zur
Jopp, D., & Hertzog, C. (2005, November). Health dimensions and their relation to beliefs about cognition,
Jopp, D., & Hertzog, C. (2006, November). Beliefs about memory functioning and memory aging: First
Jopp, D. & Hertzog, C. (2006, August). Everyday activities and their relation to self-referent beliefs and

Cooperation

• Prof. Christopher Hertzog, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA