Examining the Response Competition Hypothesis of Age Effects in Implicit Memory

ABSTRACT

Age reductions in priming have been explained by differences in processing demands across implicit memory tests. According to one hypothesis, older adults show reduced priming relative to younger adults on implicit tests that require production of a response because these tests typically allow for response competition. In contrast, older adults do not show reductions in priming on identification tests that contain little response competition. The following experiments tested the specific role of response competition in mediating age effects in implicit memory. In Experiment 1, younger and older adults studied a list of words and were then given an implicit test of word stem completion. They studied a second list of words and were given an implicit test of general knowledge. Each implicit test contained items with unique solutions (the low response competition condition) and items with multiple solutions (the high response competition condition). In Experiment 2, younger and older adults were given explicit versions of the word stem completion and the general knowledge tests. Results showed an effect of age on explicit memory (Experiment 2), but no effect of age or response competition on priming (Experiment 1). Results are inconsistent with the theory that response competition leads to age effects on production tests of implicit memory.

keywords:

• Implicit memory
• Priming
• Response competition
• Age

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We would like to thank Elana Graber and Evgeniya Pavlova for their help in data collection. This research was supported by NIA grant P50 AGO5681 given to L.G. and NASA grant NNX06AG65G given to M.H.

Notes

¹Note that when subsamples of younger and older adults are matched on vocabulary and education level, the priming results for these groups do not change for either condition of the word stem completion test. To anticipate, the priming results for the general knowledge test are also identical using matched subsamples.

²Geraci, L., & Barnhardt, T. (2008). Can older adults accurately report test awareness on priming tasks: Comparing on-line and post-test reports of awareness in younger and older adults. Unpublished manuscript.