Does Strategic Memory Training Improve the Working Memory Performance of Younger and Older Adults?

Abstract

The paper examines the effect of strategic training on the performance of younger and older adults in an immediate list-recall and a working memory task. The experimental groups of younger and older adults received three sessions of memory training, teaching the use of mental images to improve the memorization of word lists. In contrast, the control groups were not instructed to use any particular strategy, but they were requested to carry out the memory exercises. The results showed that strategic training improved performance of both the younger and older experimental groups in the immediate list recall and in the working memory task. Of particular interest, the improvement in working memory performance of the older experimental group was comparable to that of the younger experimental group.

Working Memory Training and the Effect on Mathematical Achievement in Children with Attention Deficits and Special Needs

“…WM training studies target young children as well as adults with different problems (e.g., Thorell et al, 2008;Klingberg, Fernell, Olesen, Johnson, Gustafsson, Dahlström, et al, 2005;Jaeggi, Buschkuehl, Jonides & Perrig, 2007;Caviola, Mammarella, Cordnoldi & Lucangeli, 2009;Carretti, et al, 2007). Even if the conditions for these studies were not equivalent, they each draw the conclusion that WM training seems to improve results in young children as well as in adults with various profiles.…”

“…They suggest, in line with Escultura (2012), that these differences are to do with an individual's personality and character, and are influenced not only by interactions between task demands and motivation, but also by predispositions and improvements in response to certain strategies and situations. It has been found that certain strategies affect memory performance (Carretti, Borella, & De Beni, 2007;Ericsson & Kintch, 1995).…”

“…In addition, strategy training positively affects memory performance (as suggested by Ericsson & Kintch, 1995) in adults as well as in children. Individual differences in WM may partly depend on a higher efficiency in WM processes when recalling items (Carretti et al, 2007). Treatment groups were taught how to use mental images when trying to remember 10-15 words on a list, and were also asked to orally express the quality of their images.…”

Why Students Fail in History: A Minor Case Study in Malaysia and Solutions from Cognitive Psychology Perspective

“…According to Carter and Seifert (2013), the capacity of long-term memory, however, is unlimited and it can store information for a long time. Nevertheless, exciting studies show that the performance of short-term memory could be enhanced through strategic training (Butterfield et al, 1973;Carretti et al, 2007). Besides, short-term memory could be converted into long-term memory through memory strategies which include: practicing memory rehearsal, relating novel information with something that could make it more memorable, and paying attention (Goldstein, 2011).…”

Children Schooling Achievements in the Course of Early Education and Their Cognitive Development

“…It is known that we can train them at any stage of development and that [18] in children because of high brain flexibility, the effects of such trainings are the most effective [19]. The importance of EF is extremely significant to mental and physical health, being successful in school and life and also to social and mental development [20]- [22]. Despite the fact that we do not always pay attention to those skills, they become the most visible when disrupted and produce symptoms such as absentmindedness, difficulties in planning activities, de-concentration [23].…”