Structure and Development of Metamemory in Adulthood

Abstract

A multiple factor instrument was designed to represent a multidimensional construct of metamemory. Eight theoretically meaningful dimensions were defined: (a) Use of memory strategies (strategy); (b) Knowledge of memory tasks (task); (c) Knowledge of own memory capacities (capacity); (d) Attitudes toward own memory: perception of change (change); (e) Activities supportive of memory (Activity); (f) Memory and state anxiety (Anxiety); (g) Memory and achievement motivation (Achievement); and (h) Locus of control in memory abilities (Locus). After content validity was established for a pool of items, the instrument was administered sequentially to three separate samples of adults. Computation of internal consistency estimates (by age and sample) and factorial validity (by sample) resulted in a 120-item instrument. Multivariate analyses of variance revealed robust significant age differences on the task, capacity, change, and locus subscales, with young adults evincing higher levels of knowledge regarding the first three of these dimensions, and more internality on the fourth, than older adults.