Updating the positivity bias in older adults: how do subjective memory complaints influence emotional distraction in a working memory task?

Introduction: Subjective memory complaints (SMCs), commonly reported by older adults, refer to self-perceived difficulties with memory. While the link between SMCs and objective cognitive decline remains unclear, SMCs may reflect subtle cognitive changes, particularly in working memory, which is known to be influenced by emotional context. Older adults typically display a positivity bias, which is a tendency to focus more on and better remember positive over negative information. However, the positivity bias has yet to be explored in individuals with SMCs. This study aims to address this gap by examining how emotional distractors affect working memory performance in older adults with varying levels of SMCs.

Method: Forty-seven older adults (ages 55-79) were categorized into low and high SMCs groups based on self-reported memory complaints. Participants completed an emotional n-back task with three levels of cognitive load (0-back, 1-back, 2-back) and emotional distractors (positive, negative, neutral). Task performance was measured using accuracy, response bias, and reaction times. Mixed-design ANOVAs were conducted, with cognitive load, emotional condition, and complaint group as factors.

Results: Results revealed significant main effects of cognitive load on performance, with performance declining as task demands increased. A three-way interaction between cognitive load, emotional condition, and complaint group showed that participants with high SMCs were more distracted by positive stimuli under high cognitive load, leading to decreased accuracy. In contrast, participants with low SMCs showed reduced accuracy with positive distractors under low cognitive load.

Conclusions: These findings suggest that emotional distractors, particularly positive ones, affect working memory performance differently in older adults depending on their level of SMCs. Future research should aim to uncover the mechanisms underlying theses effects.