Cognitive decline is a serious problem that many older adults face, and it can greatly affect their well being and quality of life. Such decline is often due to neural changes that occur in conjunction with normal aging, as well as changes in various cognitive and information processing capacities. The purpose of these studies is to better understand age-related changes in memory by examining the impact on memory of repeated attempts at recollection. These experiments address the situations under which repeated probing of memory can enhance accuracy and those under which it can create false reports, a memory error that older adults may be particularly vulnerable to. By better understanding the cognitive processes involved in this, procedures and guidelines for reducing the risk of such errors can be developed.
The specific aims of this project include (1) determining the impact of repeated attempts at recollection on true and false memories, (2) examining the cognitive processes involved in successful and distorted recollections, and (3) exploring factors that can minimize age-related declines in memory. The basic experimental design involves presenting stimuli to be remembered to participants and then later testing their memory repeatedly with several memory tests. The nature of the memory tests is manipulated in and across the different studies to understand the various cognitive processes that may mediate age differences in true and false recollection induced through repeated attempts at recall. Study 1 addresses age differences in recall accuracy and source errors as a function of repeatedly assessing memory with or without consideration of the source of what is remembered, in conjunction with age-related changes in working memory and executive processes associated with frontal lobe functioning. Study 2 examines similar issues using a memory test that relies less on effortful, strategic retrieval and hence might minimize age-related deficits. Study 3 addresses the role of guessing biases and repeated probings in comparison to prolonged searches through memory on memory accuracy and distortions. This project will provide research training experience for a team of undergraduate students so as to further develop and expand upon their understanding of research design and analysis and issues in cognitive aging as part of their education in psychological science. Dissemination of the findings from this project will benefit older adults by providing insights into some causes and remedies of age-related source memory declines.
| Henkel, Linda A (2008) Maximizing the benefits and minimizing the costs of repeated memory tests for older adults. Psychol Aging 23:250-62 |
| Henkel, Linda A (2007) The benefits and costs of repeated memory tests for young and older adults. Psychol Aging 22:580-95 |
