Variations in Age-Related Deficits among Episodic Memory Tasks: An Archival Study

Abstract

Craik (1986) has proposed that age-related deficits on memory tasks are proportional to the extent to which these tasks require the use of self-initiated operations. Because the number of required self-initiated operations vary among traditional episodic memory tasks, these tasks should display a gradation of age-related deficits. The objective of this study was to test this hypothesis. A secondary analysis (i.e. based on the results of previous studies) was performed on 22 studies in which verbal stimuli were used as targets on more than one episodic memory task. Of the 24 comparisons provided by the studies, 21 supported the gradation concept. This result suggests that the self-initiated operation hypothesis is valid.

The Psychology of Aging: Canadian Research in an International Context

“…It has been published for over 20 years, and carries a broad spectrum of articles, including but not limited to the psychology of aging. In recent years, psychological topics have included: (a) caregiving (e.g., Campbell & Martin-Matthews, 2000;Gignac, Kelloway, & Gottlieb, 1996;Levesque, Cossette, Potvin, & Benigeri, 2000;Marchand, Beland, & Renaud, 1994; institutionalization (e.g., Pinard & Landreville, 1998); (c) instrument development, translation, or refinement (e.g., Bouchard, Ivers, Gauthier, Pelletier, & Savard, 1998;Castonguay & Ferron, 1999;Kelly, Knox, & Gekoski, 1994;Landreville, & Guerette, 1998;Reker & Wong, 1984;Martin Matthews, Tindale, & Norris, 1984); (d) mood and variability (e.g., McNeil, Stones, Kozma, & Andres, 1994); (e) influences on medication use (e.g., McKim, Stones, & Kozma, 1990); (f) therapy, self-help, or support (e.g., Cappeliez, Latour, & Guirguis, 1997;Gottlieb, 2000;Latour & Cappeliez, 1994;Morrongiello & Gottlieb, 2000); (g) personal relationships (e.g., Davey & Norris, 1998); (h) well-being and coping (e.g., Arbuckle, Pushkar, Chaikelson, & Andres, 1999;Bravo, Gaulin, & Dubois, 1996;Clarke, Marshall, Ryff, & Rosenthal, 2000;Ducharme & Coren, 1997), and (i) memory, cognition, and competence (e.g., Checkland & Silberfeld, 1993;Foisy, 1995;Gold, Andres, Arbuckle, & Zieren, 1993;Silberfeld, Stephens, & O'Rourke, 1994).…”