Memory, priority encoding, and overcoming high-value proactive interference in younger and older adults

ABSTRACT

It is often necessary to remember important information while directing attention away from encoding less valuable information. To examine how aging influences the ability to control and update the encoding of high-value information, younger and older adults studied six lists of words that varied in terms of the point values associated with each word. The words were paired with the same high and low point values for three study-test cycles, but on the fourth and subsequent cycles the value-word pairings were switched such that the lowest value pairs became the highest values (and vice versa). For the first three study-test cycles, younger adults outperformed older adults in terms of the number of words recalled and overall point totals, but performance was similar in terms of selectively remembering high-value words. When the values were switched, both groups displayed substantial interference from the previous pairings. Although both groups improved with additional study-test cycles, only younger adults were able to fully recover from the interference effects. A similar, and more pronounced, set of results were obtained when positive and negative point values were paired with the words. The findings are interpreted in a value-directed remembering framework, emphasizing the role of benefits and costs of strategic encoding and age-related differences in the effects of interference on memory.

Keywords:

• Memory
• Aging
• Interference
• Value-directed remembering

We thank Niki Kittur, Teal Eich, Matt Rhodes, and Shannon McGillivray for helpful insight and contributions at various points. We also thank Bob Bjork for useful comments on previous versions of the manuscript. Portions of this research were presented at the 13th Biennial Cognitive Aging Conference in Atlanta, Georgia, April 2010.