Thesis (Ph.D.)--Boston University / PLEASE NOTE: Boston University Libraries did not receive an Authorization To Manage form for this thesis or dissertation. It is therefore not openly accessible, though it may be available by request. If you are the author or principal advisor of this work and would like to request open access for it, please contact us at open-help@bu.edu. Thank you. / The purpose of this study was to test the premise that the apparent deficit in the recall of recently learned material in the norm a 1 aged is related to personality changes and variations in level of interest. Much of the literature on aging has made reference to an apparent memory loss for recent events while memory for past events appears to remain relatively intact. Although, in general, this repeatedly reported phenomenon has been attributed to a brain-tissue loss associated with increasing age, it has been suggested that personality factors may be involved in determining what is remembered and what is forgotten. As a result of a review of the literature describing personality changes and the application of principles contained within psychoanalytic theory, a concept of ego-constriction was developed as a measure of psychological aging, related to, but different from chronological aging. Changes in interest patterns with increasing age were also noted, reflecting a tendency on the part of aged subjects to become more concerned with past events rather than ongoing situations. [TRUNCATED] / 2999-01-01