Research article summary (published 30 Aug 2009):

Aging and fluency-based illusions in recognition memory.

Full Abstract

We examined age-related differences in susceptibility to fluency-based memory illusions. The results from 2 experiments, in which 2 different methods were used to enhance the fluency of recognition test items, revealed that older and young adults did not differ significantly in terms of their overall susceptibility to this type of memory illusion. Older and young adults were also similar in that perceptual fluency did not influence recognition memory responses when there was a mismatch in the sensory modality of the study and test phases. Likewise, a more conceptual fluency manipulation influenced recognition memory responses in both older and young adults regardless of the match in modality. Overall, the results indicate that older adults may not be more vulnerable than young adults to fluency-based illusions of recognition memory. Moreover, young and older adults appear to be comparable in their sensitivity to factors that modulate the influence of fluency on recognition decisions. (c) 2009 APA, all rights reserved.

Author information

Author/s: Thapar, Anjali (A); Westerman, Deanne L (DL);

Affiliation: Department of Psychology, Bryn Mawr College, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010, USA. athapar(-atsign-)brynmawr.edu

Grants: R01 AG017083-06A1 (Agency:NIA NIH HHS) ; R01 AG17083-06 (Agency:NIA NIH HHS)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

Journal: Psychology and aging (Psychol Aging), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2009-Sep; vol 24 (issue 3) : pp 595-603

Dates: Created 2009/09/10; Completed 2009/10/13; Revised 2009/11/02;

PMID: 19739915, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 11/3/2009, IMS Date: )

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Aged Aging - psychology Attention Concept Formation Cues Culture Decision Making Humans Illusions

Memory, Short-Term Middle Aged Paired-Associate Learning Reading Recognition (Psychology) Repression Speech Perception Verbal Learning Young Adult

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