Strategy use, recall, and recall organization in young, middle-aged, and elderly adults

Abstract

The application and transfer of free recall study strategies were examined for young, middle-aged, and elderly adults. Subjects were either instructed to use clustering and imagery, instructed to use their own study strategies, or given standard free recall instructions. Subjects at all age levels showed high initial use of categorization and low initial use of imagery. Subject-reported imagery increased after training, but categorization was the only strategy associated with higher recall levels. Training produced increases in recall clustering that were apparent only on a transfer list. The results provided evidence that adult age differences in memory occur even when middle-aged and elderly adults show evidence of categorization in recall.

Does Believing in “Use it or Lose It” Relate to Self-Rated Memory Control, Strategy Use, and Recall?

“…Older adults manifested a mild production deficiency, being less likely to report using the kinds of relational strategies that yield the best recall performance for the type of list used in this study. This study therefore replicates earlier work (e.g., Camp et al, 1983; Hertzog et al, 1998, 2009; Rankin et al, 1984; Sanders et al, 1980) demonstrating that encoding strategies influence older adults’ free recall performance.…”

Age differences in the perception of hierarchical structure in events

“…In free recall tasks participants cluster information based on semantic, taxonomic, source, and temporal features, among others (Bower, Clark, Lesgold, & Winzenz, 1969; Hintzman, Block, & Inskeep, 1972; Kahana, 1996, Murdock & Walker, 1969; Puff, 1979). Some recent work has suggested that older adults cluster information in a free recall test to a lesser extent than younger adults (Taconnat, Raz, Bouazzaoui, Sauzeon, & Isingrini, 2009; but see Rankin, Karol, & Tuten, 1984). Most research on memory hierarchies for events has used free recall tasks (e.g., Bower, Black & Turner, 1979; Brewer & Dupree, 1983; Lichtenstein & Brewer, 1980).…”

Memory training interventions for older adults: A meta-analysis

“…Categorization involves recognizing and grouping items by conceptual relations to facilitate remembering (Bjorklund et al, 1994; Gobet et al, 2001; Ornstein & Naus, 1978; Schneider & Sodian, 1988). Imagery entails binding together concepts or items into an integrated, often visual, representation (Bower, 1970; Poon et al, 1980; Rankin, Karol, & Tuten, 1984; Rasmusson et al, 1999; Richardson, 1998; Sharps & Price-Sharps, 1996). Visual imagery is useful for list-learning, prospective memory, and other types of memory.…”

“…Common mnemonic strategies include rehearsal (Gordon & Berger, 2003; Heun, Burkart, & Benkert, 1997; Howe et al, 1985; Kennedy & Miller, 1976), association (Bjorklund & Douglas, 1997; West, 1985), categorization (Bjorklund, Schneider, Cassel, & Ashley, 1994; Gobet, Lane, Croker, Cheng, Jones, et al, 2001; Ornstein & Naus, 1978; Schneider & Sodian, 1988), imagery (Bower, 1970; Poon et al, 1980; Rankin, Karol, & Tuten, 1984; Rasmusson et al, 1999; Richardson, 1998; Sharps & Price-Sharps, 1996), and concentration (Stigsdotter & Bäckman, 1989). Combinations of these strategies are often taught in memory training programs and include face-name recognition and name-face learning, number mnemonics, story mnemonics, and the method of loci.…”