Research on adult learning and memory: Retrospect and prospect

Reading Comprehension in Aging: The Role of Working Memory and Metacomprehension

“…The decline in working memory is considered as a source of the age-related decline in text comprehension (Kemper, 1992;van der Linden et al, 1999), since the elderly's working memory capacity limitation increases the probability that recently processed propositions will be forgotten compromising the construction of text representation (Hultsch & Pentz, 1980). Several studies have shown that due to their smaller working memory span, older adults reach a lower sentence comprehension and text memory compared to younger adults (Norman et al, 1992;Tun et al, 1991).…”

“…Thus, a possible explanation for the elderly's decline is that task requirements, almost entirely based on learning skills, are not relevant to their everyday functioning (Hultsch & Pentz, 1980). In contrast, the higher level of comprehension accuracy in young adults (generally students), compared to the elderly, could be due to their familiarity with tasks requiring the memorization of information independently of their relevance (Schaie, 1978).…”

Advertisement pacing and the learning of marketing information by the elderly

“…The results of numerous studies in various areas of gerontology have led many researchers to believe that the central nervous system in human beings slows as a person ages, leading to a general decline in both physical and mental performance (Botwinick, 1978;Hultsch & Pentz, 1980;Kinsbourne & Berryhill, 1972;Rabbitt, 1968;Salthouse & Somberg, 1982;Witte, 1975). This observation led to the testing of rapid pacing of learning material on elderly subjects.…”