Educational level effect on episodic memory performance in older adults: Mediating role of metamemory

International audience; Educational level is a factor of cognitive reserve and older adults with a higher level of formal education have a better memory performance than those having a lower educational level (Angel et al., 2010; Van Der Elst, Van Boxtel, Van Breukelen, & Jolles, 2005). Memory functioning can also be modulated by the beliefs and knowledge of a person about his/her own memory, that is, by his/her metamemory (Hultsch, Hertzog, & Dixon, 1987). The objective of this study was to examine the role of metamemory as a potential mediator of the effect of educational level on memory performance. Eighty-three older adults (60–80 years) participated in the experiment, they have been divided into two subgroups according to their educational level (high: 14.36 years and low level: 9.85 years). Episodic memory was evaluated with a cued recall task and metamemory by the Metamemory in Adulthood questionnaire (MIA). As shown by previous studies, results indicated that educational level had a significant effect on memory and metamemory, higher educational level was associated to better memory and metamemory capacities. At the MIA questionnaire, older adults with a high educational level affirmed using more internal and external strategies for learning, having higher motivation and perceiving less memory change with aging than older adults with a lower educational level. They also showed that the metamemory dimensions associated to the memory performance differed according to the educational level. For participants with a lower educational level, memory performance was correlated to the participants’ perception about their memory capacity and their knowledge about memory tasks, while for participants with a higher educational level, memory performance was correlated to the dimensions linked to memory control (strategies and motivation). Finally, the group effect was mediated by metamemory, specifically by the use of internal strategies. These results suggest that a prolonged educative experience would be associated to a better capacity to implement adapted strategies, which led individuals to maintain an optimal memory performance.; Le niveau d’études est considéré comme un facteur de réserve. Ainsi, les adultes âgés de haut niveau d’études ont de meilleures performances mnésiques que ceux ayant un niveau d’études plus bas. L’objectif de cette étude était d’examiner le rôle de la métamémoire comme un médiateur potentiel des effets du niveau d’études sur la performance mnésique. Quatre-vingt-trois adultes âgés (60–80 ans) ont été divisés en deux sous-groupes selon leur niveau d’études (haut et bas niveau). La mémoire épisodique a été évaluée à l’aide d’une tâche de rappel indicé et la métamémoire par le Metamemory in Adulthood questionnaire (MIA). Les résultats montrent qu’un haut niveau d’études est associé à de meilleures capacités mnésiques et métamnésiques. Ils mettent également en évidence le rôle de la métamémoire comme médiateur de l’effet du niveau d’études sur la performance mnésique, puisque la fréquence d’utilisation de stratégies internes médiatise complètement l’effet du niveau d’études sur la mémoire chez des adultes âgés.