EXPLORING AGE DIFFERENCES IN THE RESOURCE MODEL OF DEPLETION

Self-regulation refers to the effortful control of automatic impulses. In young adults, there has been robust evidence suggesting that self -regulation relies on a limited resource, such that engaging in self-control depletes the res ource, resulting in reduced success at subsequent efforts at self-control (Muraven, Tice, & Baumeister, 1998). Little research has explored this depletion effect in older adults, but given older adults experience frontal lobe decline and deficits in cognitive functioning (Hasher & Zacks, 1988), it is sensible to predict that they might experience even stronger de ficits in self-control following depletion. The current research compared the deple tion effect, as measured by the difference in performance between an attention regu lation group and the control group, in young and older adults on the automated operation-s pan task (Unsworth, Heitz, Schrock, & Engle, 2005), as well as subjective measures of d epletion, following a controlled writing task. There was no effect of depletion on operation-span performance, possibly because working memory is not sensitive depletion. However, there was evidence of subjective feelings of depletion following the writ ing task, but the effect did not differ across age. Future research should investigate the age difference in depletion using a task that is sensitive to depletion.

Grantor dc:publisher

Wake Forest University

Year dc:date.issued

2012

Author dc:creator

• Worsham, Andrea Leigh

• age differences

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/10339/37302

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:wakespace.lib.wfu.edu:10339/37302