The effects of age on the learning and forgetting of primacy, middle, and recency components of a multi-trial word list

Abstract

The serial position effect reveals that recall of a supraspan list of words follows a predictable pattern, whereby words at the beginning (primacy) and end (recency) of a list are recalled more easily than words in the middle. This effect has typically been studied using single list-learning trials, but in neuropsychology, multi-trial list-learning tests are more commonly used. The current study examined trends in learning for primacy, middle, and recency effects across multiple trials in younger and older age cohorts. Participants were 158 volunteers, including 79 adults aged 17-36 ("younger" group) and 79 adults aged 54-89 years ("older" group). Each participant completed four learning trials and one delayed (5-10 min) recall trial from the Memory Assessment Scales. Scores were divided into primacy (first four words), middle (middle four words), and recency (final four words) scores for all trials. For list acquisition, mixed effects modeling examined the main effects of and interactions between learning slope (logarithmic), age group, and serial position. Rate of learning increased logarithmically over four trials and varied by serial position, with growth of middle and recency word acquisition increasing more rapidly than recall of primacy words; this interaction did not differ by age group. Delayed retention differed according to age group and serial position; both older and younger adults demonstrated similar retention for primacy words, but older adults showed reduced retention for middle and recency words. Although older adults acquired less information across learning trials, the reason for this reduced acquisition was related to initial learning, not to rate of learning over time. Older compared to younger adults were less efficient at transferring middle and recency words from short-term to long-term memory.

A Delayed Advantage: Multi-Session Training at Evening Hours Leads to Better Long-Term Retention of Motor Skill in the Elderly

“…A number of studies, however, addressed the retention of practice related gains in task performance in older adults in comparison to younger adults (Shea et al, 2006; Fraser et al, 2009; Nemeth et al, 2010; Wilson et al, 2012). While younger adults were able to retain training-related gains for long periods of time (across time intervals with no additional training), the passage of time (with no additional training afforded) was found to adversely affect the performance gains in older adults (Malone et al, 2016; Griffin et al, 2017). It was concluded that long intervals of no training may lead to forgetting and skill attrition, the loss of gains previously acquired, in the elderly (Malone et al, 2016; Griffin et al, 2017).…”

“…While younger adults were able to retain training-related gains for long periods of time (across time intervals with no additional training), the passage of time (with no additional training afforded) was found to adversely affect the performance gains in older adults (Malone et al, 2016; Griffin et al, 2017). It was concluded that long intervals of no training may lead to forgetting and skill attrition, the loss of gains previously acquired, in the elderly (Malone et al, 2016; Griffin et al, 2017). The current results suggest that perhaps as a default, the motor system of older adults may treat motor “how to” knowledge that is not in continuous use as less prioritized for long-term retention.…”

“…Robust retention was reported in mirror-tracing skills in healthy older adults who practiced for 3 separate days and were retested 5 years later (Rodrigue et al, 2005). However, other evidence suggests that aging is related to faster forgetting rates (Malone et al, 2016; Griffin et al, 2017).…”

Word Meaning Contributes to Free Recall Performance in Supraspan Verbal List-Learning Tests

“…A recent study demonstrated that semantic encoding is automatic in verbal short-term memory (Campoy et al, 2015). Furthermore, the recency effect, which plays a significant role in RAVLT scores, is largely driven by verbal attention (Griffin et al, 2017). The recency effect has been conceptualized in immediate free recall as implicit learning coupled with a particular mode of retrieval that may, but need not, be conscious and explicit (Baddeley and Hitch, 1993).…”

Historie a současnost Reyova Auditorně-verbálního testu učení (RAVLT) v Česku

“…(Bower, 2000). V současnosti se v této tradici pokračuje a při zkoumání zmíněné problematiky jsou využívány především testy seznamů slov, jejichž počátek sahá již do 19. století, kdy Binet a Henri (1894) publikovali několik experimentů zkoumajících paměť prostřednictvím seznamů slov (Griffin et al, 2017). Jednotlivé metody používané pro tyto účely se mohou lišit ve způsobu administrace jednotlivých fází, což je přehledně zobrazeno v tabulce č.…”