HPAVC/HPAVC CD-ROM.iso/pc/AGING_TX.ZIP/AGING.DOC

Text File | 1990-06-27 | 9.2 KB | 222 lines

                       Aging's Impact on Memory

                     Martin D. "Butch" Walker, Jr.
                        Baldwin-Wallace College











PSY 335 - Adult Adaptation


May 15, 1990


                               Overview


The purpose of this paper is not to break any new ground in research in the
area of Aging and Memory.  I will however review some of the existing research
in the area, include results of my interviews and limited testing, and conclude
with a summary.  As is the case in many areas of Neuropsychology and Cognitive
research, many of the reported findings are contradictory.  I will make note of
those contradictions, and in my summary state what I feel are some of the
reasons that researchers cannot seem to agree on the impact of aging on memory.

                           Existing Research


It is difficult if not impossible to separate learning and memory.  A perceived
problem with memory or recall could in fact be a problem with learning.  Unless
the information was processed properly to begin with, it is impossible to
recall.  Most of the research I was able to find did little to try and separate
the two processes, and in most cases emphasized the ability to learn and recall
new information over the ability to recall old information.


One does not have to dig very deeply to start finding contradictory results.
All through their chapter on Learning and Memory, Haslip and Panek (1989)
report differences in reported conclusions.  For example, they report that
Botwinick (1984), Hartley, Harker, and Walsh (1980) and Hultsch and Dixon
(1984) reached different conclusions when studying the effect of aging on
memory for text.  Botwinick (1967) also makes note of contradictory findings in
his chapters on memory, as do Albert and Moss (1988).


Rice and Meyer (1986) conducted studies of individuals across three age
groups.  They report finding no decline in prose recall skills between the ages
of 62 and 80.  They concluded that recall was more dependant on education
level, vocabulary and reading habits & skills than upon age.


On the other hand, Stine, Wingfield, and Myers (1990) in studying 24
individuals in two age groups concluded that there was a significant decline in
recall ability with age.  They also report that the older adults watch more
television and read magazines & newspapers, while the young adults spent more
time reading; books in particular.


After reviewing existing research we find no conclusions pro or con regarding
the impact of aging on memory.  With that in mind, let's move on to the
interviews I conducted and the results of that limited sampling.

                              Interviews


Subject "A" was a 67 year old female with fourteen years of education.  She has
worked for 25 years in secretarial positions.  Subject "B" was a 43 year old
female with thirteen years of education that has worked for a total of ten
years in secretarial positions.  Subject "C" was a 32 year old female college
graduate that has worked for 16 years in secretarial positions.  Subjects A and
C are mother and daughter.


When questioned about their reading habits, A reported being an avid reader of
biographies, magazines and other books.  She estimated that she read two or
more books a month.  Subject B considered herself an average reader that went
in spurts, but would read seven to ten books a year plus magazines and
newspapers.  Subject C also considered herself an average reader reading about
a novel a month, plus newsletters, newspapers and magazines.


When asked their personal views on the effects of aging on memory all three
subjects stated that they felt there was no deficit in memory related to
aging.  All three stated that they felt that memory was tied more closely to
what the individual perceived as important and also what the individual used
most often.  Subject A for example stated that she still has no problems
remembering names of old acquaintances or of new people met recently.  She also
reported that she can still remember phone numbers from a job of over 15 years
ago.  She also related a story to me of her father now 95 years old who last
year recited to her word for word a poem he had learned in grade school.


All three subjects were able to repeat the sequence of six numbers in the order
that I read them.  There were differences between the three subjects in their
ability to recall the five words.  Subject A was only able to recall pan,
automobile and actuary.  Subject B was able to recall pan, soccer, application
and actuary.  Subject C recalled all five words.

When discussing memory in general, all three subjects reported being able to
remember written information better than verbal information.  Subjects B & C
reported that they took notes to compensate and also that they tended to make
To Do lists to keep track of projects.  Subject A reported that even without
notes or lists she was able to remember well enough to make few mistakes.


All three subjects had little trouble recalling details about their location or
activities when they first heard of the Challenger disaster.  Of the three,
subject A's memory was probably the most vivid, but that could be due to her
sister's birthday falling on that date.


No changes in ability to recall the list of words were noted on the second
request.  When asked to repeat a sequence of numbers in reverse order however,
only subject A was able to do so without error.  Subject B had the most
difficulty.

                                Summary


Certainly a sample of only three females is not the basis for reaching any hard
conclusions.  I did find it interesting that none of the three expected any
deficit in memory or recall related to aging.  None of the three reported any
difference in their ability to remember now versus when they were younger.


Performance on my limited testing was probably more interest oriented than age
oriented.  A reported an interest in numbers and names, and outperformed the
other two in the number related tests.  Subjects B and C on the other hand
professed a disinterest in numbers, but a greater interest in words.


What does all of this mean?  Based upon my reading, personal observations, and
my interviews I tend to side with those that report little deficit in memory
due to aging.  Based on my limited reading I feel that those that found no
decline did a much better job of subject matching, than those reporting
deficit.


For example, Rice, et al (1986) very carefully tried to group their subjects
not only by age, but also by education, reading habits, vocabulary skills,
etc.  As a result they reported no noticeable decline based on age, but
differences related to the other factors.  Stine, et al (1990) compared 12
undergraduates ages 17 to 20 with a mean age of 18.3 with 12 older adults ages
61 to 83 with a mean age of 68.1.  While the mean number of years of education
was greater for the older adults (mean of 14.2 years, std. deviation of 1.9)
than the undergraduates (mean of 12.8, std. deviation of .9), the fact that the
undergraduates were actively reading, memorizing and being tested was in their
favor.  In my opinion a better test would have been a group in their thirties,
one in their fifties, and one of individuals over age 65.  In my way of
thinking their sample was invalid.


I'm sure we will see a great deal more research in this area, especially with
the aging of our society.  I only hope that more emphasis is placed on the
composition of the groups under study and do a much better job of eliminating
potential confounds, by matching backgrounds, interests, habits and abilities.


                            Interview Track

A. Background Information

1. Age

2. Years of education

3. Working experience

4. Reading habits
B. Word List - for recall later

a. pan

b. soccer

c. automobile

d. application

e. actuary
C. Personal views on memory & aging
D. Sequence of numbers - 7,2,6,5,9,3
E. 1st attempt at recall of word list.
F. Discussion of memory in general

1. Written vs. heard

2. Notes?

3. List of things to do?

4. Any changes noted personally in ability to remember.

G. Details about location, etc. when first heard of Challenger.
H. Second attempt to recall word list.
I. Number sequence - to be recalled in reverse order.

3,9,5,4,6,1
J. Any other thoughts, comments or stories they might want to relate.


Albert, M. S., Moss, M. B.  (1988)  Geriatric Neuropsychology  New York, NY:
    TheGuilford Press
Botwinick, J.  (1967)  Cognitive Processes in Maturity and Old Age  New York,
    NY:Springer Publishing Company, Inc.
Hayslip, B., Panek, P. E. (1989)  Adult Development and Aging  New York, NY:
    Harper& Row, Publishers, Inc.
Rice, G. E., Meyer, B. J. F.  (1986)  Prose Recall: effects of aging, verbal
    ability, and readingbehavior.  Journal of Gerontology, 41(4), 468-480
Stine, E. A., Wingfield, A., Myers, S. D.  (1990)  Age differences in
    processing informationfrom television news: the effects of bisensory
    augmentation.  Journal of Gerontology, 45(1), P17-27