Age differences in the focus of retrieval: Evidence from dual-list free recall.

Abstract

In the present experiment, we examined age differences in the focus of retrieval using a dual-list free recall paradigm. Younger and older adults studied two lists of unrelated words and recalled from the first list, the second list, or both lists. Older adults showed impaired use of control processes to recall items correctly from a target list and prevent intrusions. This pattern reflected a deficit in recollection verified using a process dissociation procedure. We examined the consequences of an age-related deficit in control processes on the focus of retrieval using measures of temporal organization. Evidence that older adults engaged a broader focus of retrieval than younger adults was shown clearly when participants were instructed to recall from both lists. First-recalled items originated from more distant positions across lists for older adults. We interpret older adults’ broader retrieval orientation as consistent with their impaired ability to elaborate cues to constrain retrieval. These findings show that age-related deficits in control processes impair context reinstatement and the subsequent focus of retrieval to target episodes.

Characterizing adult age differences in the initiation and organization of retrieval: A further investigation of retrieval dynamics in dual-list free recall.

“…These findings have theoretical implications as only one prior study has suggested that older adults' impairment in free recall reflects a recollection deficit with preserved automaticity (Wahlheim & Huff, 2015). This suggestion is partially compatible with a computational model of age differences in free recall proposing that older adults are impaired in their ability to reinstate and monitor the context associated with recalled items (Healey & Kahana, 2016).…”

“…We first examined whether age differences retrieval initiation from two lists were a unique characteristic of aging by comparing PFR curves for memory-matched subgroups of younger and older adults from Wahlheim and Huff (2015). We briefly summarize the method below prior to describing our analytic approach and corresponding results and discussion.…”

“…However, younger and older adults show identical retrieval initiation patterns (e.g., Healey & Kahana, 2016; Kahana et al, 2002; Wahlheim & Huff, 2015). Specifically, participants initiate retrieval from recency positions on immediate tests and primacy positions on delayed tests.…”

“…To determine whether age differences in these retrieval initiation profiles were a unique characteristic of aging, we conducted additional analyses of the data from Wahlheim and Huff (2015). We first compared PFR curves from the condition where both lists were retrieved for subgroups of younger and older adults matched on memory ability.…”

Adult age differences in production and monitoring in dual-list free recall.

“…Taken with older adults’ well-established deficit in context reinstatement, this suggests that response output in standard free recall may underestimate the extent to which older adults produce first-recalled items from non-target lists due to selective reporting. Beyond first-recalled items, there are also substantial age differences in the patterns of response output across the entire recall period (e.g., Wahlheim & Huff, 2015). Age differences in selective reporting might also cause output profiles in standard recall to misrepresent the characteristics of response production throughout the entire recall period.…”