Pastoetter, Bernhard and Baueml, Karl-Heinz T. (2019) Testing Enhances Subsequent Learning in Older Adults. PSYCHOLOGY AND AGING, 34 (2). pp. 242-250. ISSN 0882-7974, 1939-1498
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Interference susceptibility has been suggested to be a major factor for episodic memory impairment in healthy older adults. Previous work has shown that retrieval practice can reduce proactive interference and thus enhance learning and memory in younger adults, a finding referred to as the forward effect of testing in the literature. This study examined the late developmental trajectory of the forward effect in middle-aged and older adults (40 to 79 years of age). Participants studied three lists of items in anticipation of a final cumulative recall test. In the testing condition, participants were tested immediately on Lists I and 2 after initial study, whereas in the restudy condition, they restudied Lists 1 and 2. In both conditions, participants were tested immediately on List 3. The results of the immediate List-3 recall test showed a reliable forward effect of testing, with interim testing of Lists 1 and 2 enhancing List-3 recall and reducing the number of prior-list intrusions. Notably, this effect of testing was found independent of participants' age. These results suggest that retrieval practice can reduce proactive interference in middle-aged and older adults. Together with recent findings on the presence of the backward effect of testing in older adults-that is, improved recall of studied material after retrieval versus restudy, these findings indicate that retrieval practice can be a very powerful tool to delimit memory impairment in older age.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | RETRIEVAL PRACTICE; PROACTIVE-INTERFERENCE; BENEFITS; MEMORY; GENERATION; INTERVAL; YOUNGER; cognitive aging; episodic memory; retrieval practice; forward testing effect |
| Subjects: | 100 Philosophy & psychology > 150 Psychology |
| Divisions: | Human Sciences > Institut für Psychologie Human Sciences > Institut für Psychologie > Lehrstuhl für Psychologie IV (Entwicklungs- und Kognitionspsychologie) - Prof. Dr. Karl-Heinz Bäuml |
| Depositing User: | Dr. Gernot Deinzer |
| Date Deposited: | 16 Apr 2020 09:08 |
| Last Modified: | 16 Apr 2020 09:08 |
| URI: | https://pred.uni-regensburg.de/id/eprint/27474 |
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