The effects of print exposure on sentence processing and memory in older adults: Evidence for efficiency and reserve

Abstract

The present study was an examination of how exposure to print affects sentence processing and memory in older readers. A sample of older adults (N = 139; Mean age = 72) completed a battery of cognitive and linguistic tests and read a series of sentences for recall. Word-by-word reading times were recorded and generalized linear mixed effects models were used to estimate components representing attentional allocation to word-level and textbase-level processes. Older adults with higher levels of print exposure showed greater efficiency in word-level processing and in the immediate instantiation of new concepts, but allocated more time to semantic integration at clause boundaries. While lower levels of working memory were associated with smaller wrap-up effects, individuals with higher levels of print exposure showed a reduced effect of working memory on sentence wrap-up. Importantly, print exposure was not only positively associated with sentence memory, but was also found to buffer the effects of working memory on sentence recall. These findings suggest that the increased efficiency of component reading processes that come with life-long habits of literacy buffer the effects of working memory decline on comprehension and contribute to maintaining skilled reading among older adults.

Memory and comprehension for health information among older adults: Distinguishing the effects of domain-general and domain-specific knowledge

“…Although research suggests that older adults can be proficient with sentence CI (e.g., Stine-Morrow et al, 2001, 2008), there is also evidence that sentence CI is more of a drain on attentional resources for older readers (Payne & Stine-Morrow, 2012) and that older readers often shift wrap-up to earlier points in sentence processing (e.g., Miller & Stine-Morrow, 1998; Stine-Morrow et al, 2010). Hence, clause CI may be a more robust reading strategy for older adults that compensates for their processing capacity limits.…”

“…Attentional resources allocated to constructing multiple levels of representation can be measured by the reading time individuals spend on different text features reflecting word-level, textbase and situation model processing. Random regression models (Lorch & Myers, 1990; Stine-Morrow, Milinder, Pullara, 2001; Stine-Morrow et al, 2008) or mixed effect models (Payne, Gao, Noh, Anderson, & Stine-Morrow, 2012) can be used to decompose the reading time into components specific to different text features to examine how readers allocate attention to construct different levels of representation. For example, word-level processes include lexical access and decoding.…”

“…Crystallized abilities, as operationalized by vocabulary or exposure to print, are related to increased allocation to CI processes among adults (Payne et al, 2012; Stine-Morrow et al, 2008). Older readers with higher levels of crystallized ability tend to allocate more attention to CI than those with lower crystallized ability, an advantage that may be conferred by both practice in creating mental representations from print, and the relative autonomization of word-level processing (e.g., Payne et al, 2012; Stine-Morrow et al, 2001, 2008). …”

Modelling longitudinal changes in older adults' memory for spoken discourse: Findings from the ACTIVE cohort

“…Older adults score upwards of one standard deviation higher on vocabulary measures compared to younger adults (Verhaeghen, 2003) and, even into old age, verbal and literacy skills appear to benefit multiple language comprehension mechanisms (Payne et al, 2012; Stine-Morrow et al, 2008). For example, high-verbal older adults show evidence for facilitation in visual word recognition (Lien et al, 2006; Ruthruff et al, 2008), and greater verbal skills appear to compensate for the negative effects of aging on text memory, in part, through the implementation of on-line encoding strategies (Payne et al, 2012; Stine-Morrow et al, 2008).…”

“…Older adults score upwards of one standard deviation higher on vocabulary measures compared to younger adults (Verhaeghen, 2003) and, even into old age, verbal and literacy skills appear to benefit multiple language comprehension mechanisms (Payne et al, 2012; Stine-Morrow et al, 2008). For example, high-verbal older adults show evidence for facilitation in visual word recognition (Lien et al, 2006; Ruthruff et al, 2008), and greater verbal skills appear to compensate for the negative effects of aging on text memory, in part, through the implementation of on-line encoding strategies (Payne et al, 2012; Stine-Morrow et al, 2008). At the same time, older adults with lower fluid cognitive abilities (e.g., working memory, reasoning, inhibitory control) show substantially worse memory for language (DeDe et al, 2004; Lustig, May, & Hasher, 2001; Payne et al, 2012; Stine-Morrow et al, 2008; van der Linden et al, 1999; Zelinski & Stewart, 1998).…”