Honor culture and cognitive aging: Honor endorsement and deficits in memory aging and Alzheimer's disease knowledge

BackgroundIdentifying deficits in the public's memory aging knowledge is a promising avenue for improving our understanding of Alzheimer's disease (AD) risk and developing effective education and intervention strategies. Yet, it is important to contextualize knowledge within culturally relevant frameworks that may not only contribute to the extent of individuals' knowledge, but also to the reception of developed educational and intervention programs.ObjectiveOne prominent culture within the United States (U.S.) that has largely been neglected within AD research is the culture of honor, or those that prioritize the defense and maintenance of reputation.MethodsUsing an online sample, the present study examined 998 U.S. adults' endorsement of honor culture norms and knowledge of normal and pathological memory aging knowledge, as well as AD specific knowledge. Hierarchical linear regression analyses (controlling for age, sex, race/ethnicity, educational attainment, and dementia experience) examined associations between honor endorsement and each type of memory aging knowledge.ResultsGreater honor endorsement was associated with worse knowledge of normal memory aging, pathological memory aging, and AD. Exploratory analyses that examined links to domains of AD knowledge revealed that greater honor endorsement was specifically linked with worse knowledge related to AD risk factors, symptoms, treatment and management, life impact, and caregiving.ConclusionsThe present research advances our understanding of deficits in the public's memory aging knowledge within the context of U.S. honor cultures and highlights a need for the developmental of culturally relevant education and intervention efforts.