Memory and Older Age
🧠Psych - 187/200
Reader,
Today’s study is around memory retention in older age and how it can be made better.
What is it?
This study examined the late developmental trajectory of the forward effect in middle-aged and older adults (40 to 79 years of age).
Participants studied three lists of items in anticipation of a final cumulative recall test.
In the testing condition, participants were tested immediately on lists 1 and 2 after initial study, whereas in the restudy condition, they restudied lists 1 and 2.
In both conditions, participants were tested immediately on list 3. The results of the immediate list 3 recall test showed a reliable forward effect of testing, with interim testing of lists 1 and 2 enhancing list 3 recall and reducing the number of prior-list intrusions. Importantly, this effect of testing was found independent of participants’ age.
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What do I need to know?
These results suggest that retrieval practice can reduce proactive interference in middle-aged and older adults.
Together with recent findings on the presence of the backward effect of testing in older adults – that is, improved recall of studied material after retrieval versus restudy –, these findings indicate that retrieval practice can be a very powerful tool to delimit memory impairment in older age.
References & Studies: -
https://psyarxiv.com/yfqw9/
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