How's Your Memory? Convergence of Objective and Subjective Memory Performance Using Ambulatory Assessment in Middle Age

Anqing Zheng; Tina T Vo; Elizabeth Muñoz; Sally J Wadsworth; Martin J Sliwinski; Chandra A Reynolds

doi:10.1093/geroni/igaf037

How's Your Memory? Convergence of Objective and Subjective Memory Performance Using Ambulatory Assessment in Middle Age

Innov Aging. 2025 Apr 23;9(6):igaf037. doi: 10.1093/geroni/igaf037. eCollection 2025.

Authors

Anqing Zheng¹, Tina T Vo^{2

3}, Elizabeth Muñoz⁴, Sally J Wadsworth¹, Martin J Sliwinski⁵, Chandra A Reynolds^{1

3}

Affiliations

¹ Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USA.
² Department of Psychiatry, Center for Behavior Genetics of Aging, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California, USA.
³ Department of Psychology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California, USA.
⁴ Department of Human Development and Family Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA.
⁵ Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pennsylvania, USA.

Abstract

Background and objectives: The association between subjective and objective memory in established adulthood and midlife remains understudied, despite its potential importance for early cognitive health interventions. This study examined their convergence in adults aged 28-51, characterizing objective memory through performance level, change, and variability. Furthermore, we explored how sociodemographic and psychological factors moderate the subjective-objective memory convergence, aiming to elucidate the complex interplay between perceived and actual cognitive function in these critical life stages.

Research design and methods: Adults in established adulthood and midlife (N = 415, M _age = 35.96, range: 28-51, % female = 59.28%) completed smartphone-based momentary cognitive assessments 3 times a day for up to 14 days. After the conclusion of the assessments, the participants completed a wrap-up survey, including an objective memory measurement. To quantify characteristics of objective memory performance, we used Bayesian mixed-effect location-scale models and modeled intraindividual variability.

Results: Better initial memory performance and improvement over time predicted enhanced subjective memory performance assessments in naturalistic settings, with objective memory change emerging as the strongest predictor. Notably, intraindividual variability in objective memory showed no systematic relationship with subjective evaluations, and psychological and sociodemographic variables did not moderate the objective-subjective memory performance relationship.

Discussion and implications: These findings highlight the complexity of subjective-objective memory performance relationships in established adulthood. Our results demonstrate the utility of smartphone-based momentary assessments for capturing both longitudinal trajectories and day-to-day variability in cognitive performance. This methodology offers promising opportunities for studying cognitive function in naturalistic settings during established adulthood, potentially contributing to our understanding of early cognitive changes across the lifespan.

Keywords: Ecological momentary assessment; Established adulthood; Intraindividual variability; Subjective memory performance.