Correlation among levels of self-esteem, cognitive performance and memory in the elderly: an ecological view

Abstract

This study aims at investigating the correlation among self-esteem, cognitive performance, and memory in the elderly, besides analyzing the so-called normal cognitive aging. Its specific objectives are the following: a) to know the level of self-esteem in the elderly who took part in the study; b) to identify the cognitive level of the participants, through the use of tests; c) to analyze environmental influences on the elderly persons’ cognitive processes, and d) to verify the elderly persons’ beliefs regarding their memory. We have deeply studied some themes such as self-esteem in old age, the brain and the biological bases of cognitive aging, and the self-efficacy of memory to support this study. Forty-eight elderly men and women who were 60 or over were randomly selected among the participants in the Núcleo Universitário da Terceira Idade – NUTI. The first step was to collect the participants’ bio-socio-demographic data and to apply self-esteem, memory and intelligence tests. The second step was the study of the so-called normal cognitive aging and the analysis of environmental factors that can alter this function. Beliefs that the elderly hold regarding their memory were also verified. Ecological insertion was one of the procedures used for data collection. The conclusion of all steps in the research project enabled us to know the elderly both in their relation to the context and the repercussion in the process of cognitive aging. Results confirm that people with high self-esteem and broad and positive relations in the context show better results in memory and intelligence tests. We have also found that individuals are aware of their cognitive limits, i.e., the beliefs they hold regarding their mnemonic performance correspond to their results in the tests.