The influence of life style of middle and elderly person on suppression of unwanted memories and it's the strategies

Abstract

We examined the influence of the present life style on suppression of unwanted memories and it's the strategies for 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s elderly groups. They were asked to answer how cope it when remembering an unwanted memory and fill out the questionnaire of life style. The results showed that the participants in high life events, compared to that in low life events tried to suppress unwanted memories with effort and use thought substitution strategy in order not to remember them, regardless of aging. Moreover, 70s, 80s elderly female participants in low life events less tried to forget and used the thought substitution strategy than that in high life events, but not in middle age group. These results suggest that elderly groups who have a lot of life events can try to forget unwanted memories by using any strategies in order to avoid thinking of it, but not that those who have few life events. Elderly person in low life style may associate with the present negative activities and imagining negative future happenings.