A study in the journal Experimental Aging Research finds that senior citizens who were reminded about their age and stereotypes about old age performed worse on memory tests than secure seniors.

    发表在《实验老年研究》（Experimental Aging Research）杂志的一项研究发现，与那些自信的老年人相比，在记忆力测试方面，当给老年人提及他们的年龄以及关于老年的一些旧观念的时候，他们的表现要差一些。

    Elderly Who Forget Age Remember Better

    Senior citizens, don’t believe the hype. Because a new study finds that older folks who accept that seniors’ memories get worse do worse on memory tests. The finding was published in the journal Experimental Aging Research.

    Scientists interested in the effects of stereotype on memory enlisted 103 seniors between 60- and 82-years-old to take a memory test. Before the test, some subjects were told that the test checked the effects of age on memory. Researchers call this a threat—it reminds participants of the stereotype. That group was also asked to write down their age after reading the instructions, again homing in on the stereotype.

    The other group was told that the test controlled for biases. This could make them feel more secure. Researchers also gave participants a stigma consciousness questionnaire to test how strongly they bought into negative stereotypes.

    The results: participants who got reminded of their age and the old age, poor memory stereotype did significantly worse. Those who say they feel stigmatized also performed more poorly. So your memory may function better just by believing that it will. In which case, you really will eventually figure out where you left your car keys.

    忘记年龄的老年人记忆更好

    老年朋友们，不要相信那些有关老年的宣传。因为一项新的研究发现，那些接受老年人的记忆力越来越差的观点的人，他们的在记忆力测试方面表现更糟糕。该项研究发表在《实验老年研究》（Experimental Aging Research）杂志上。

    科学家们对模式化观念对记忆力的影响很感兴趣，他们召集了103人年龄在60到82岁之间的老年人参与一项记忆力测试。在测试时之前，科学家们告诉一些受试者这项测试检查年龄对记忆力的影响。研究人员把这称之为一种威胁---它提醒了实验参与者的那些旧观念。研究人员还让该组受试者在读完说明后写下他们的年龄，这又导向了旧观念。

    研究人员告诉另外一组受试者，这项测试控制了偏差。这能让受试者们感到更加踏实。研究者们还给实验参与者一份“污名”意识问卷调查表，用来检测负面的旧观念对他们的影响到底有多强。

    结果是：实验参与者的年龄以及老龄情况、糟糕的记忆力旧观念被提及后，他们在记忆力测试方面的表现明显差很多。那些感到“受辱”的人表现更糟糕。所以，只要相信你的记忆力不差，你的记忆能力就会更好。这样的话，最终你就会真地找到你到底把车钥匙放到什么地方了。

Vocabulary:

Experimental：实验的
Senior citizen：老年人
Stereotype：；模式化观念；老一套
Secure：有把握的；安全的
Hype：天花乱坠的宣传
Enlist：征召
Participant：参与者
Home in: 导向（目标）；（思想、注意力）集中于
Stigma: 耻辱；羞耻
Consciousness: 意识；观念
Questionnaire: 调查表
Negative: 负面的