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| Research article summary (published 30 May 2008): |
Comparing memory skill maintenance across the life span: preservation in adults, increase in children.
Full Abstract
The authors examined life-span differences in the maintenance of skilled episodic memory performance by assessing 100 individuals (10 -11, 12-13, 21-26, and 66-79 years old) 11 months after termination of an intensive multisession mnemonic training program (Y. Brehmer, S.-C. Li, V. Müller, T. von Oertzen, & U. Lindenberger, 2007). Skill maintenance was tested in 2 follow-up sessions, the first without and the second with mnemonic reinstruction. Younger and older adults' average performance levels were stable across time. In contrast, both younger and older children's memory performance improved beyond originally attained levels. Older adults' performance improved from the first to the second follow-up session, presumably profiting from instruction-induced skill reactivation. Results suggest that (a) skill maintenance is largely intact in healthy older adults, (b) older adults need environmental support to fully reactivate their former skill levels (cf. F. I. M. Craik, 1983), and (c) children adapt a skill learned 11 months ago to their increasing cognitive capabilities.
Author information
Author/s: Brehmer, Yvonne (Y); Li, Shu-Chen (SC); Straube, Benjamin (B); Stoll, Gundula (G); von Oertzen, Timo (T); Müller, Viktor (V); Lindenberger, Ulman (U);
Affiliation: Saarland University, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany. yvonne.brehmer(-atsign-)ki.se
Journal and publication information
Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Journal: Psychology and aging (Psychol Aging), published in United States. (Language: eng)
Reference: 2008-Jun; vol 23 (issue 2) : pp 227-38
Dates: Created 2008/06/24; Completed 2008/10/07;
PMID: 18572999, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 2/18/2009, IMS Date: )
Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.
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