Age-related associative memory deficits in value-based remembering: The contribution of agenda-based regulation and strategy use

Abstract

Value-based remembering in free-recall tasks may be spared from the typical age-related cognitive decline observed for episodic memory. However, it is unclear whether value-based remembering for associative information is also spared from age-related cognitive decline. The current experiments evaluated the contribution of agenda-based based regulation and strategy use during study to age differences and similarities in value-based remembering of associative information. Participants studied word pairs (Experiments 1-2) or single words (Experiment 2) slated with different point values by moving a mouse controlled cursor to different spatial locations to reveal either items for study or the point value associated with remembering each item. Some participants also provided strategy reports for each item. Younger and older adults allocated greater time to studying high- than low-valued information, reported using normatively effective encoding strategies to learn high-valued pairs, and avoided study of low-valued pairs. As a consequence, both age groups selectively remembered more high- than low-valued items. Despite nearly identical regulatory behavior, an associative memory deficit for older adults was present for high-valued pairs. Age differences in value-based remembering did not occur when the materials were word lists. Fluid intelligence also moderated the effectiveness of older adults' strategy use for high-valued pairs (Experiment 2). These results suggest that age differences in associative value-based remembering may be due to some older adults' gleaning less benefit from using normatively effective encoding strategies rather than age differences in metacognitive self-regulation per se.

Figure 1

Illustration of a typical study trial.

Figure 2

Mean proportion of total time allocated to studying word pairs in Experiment 1a with no strategy reports and Experiment 1b with strategy report as a function of age.

Figure 3

Mean proportion reported strategy use for younger (top panel) and older (bottom panel) adults in Experiment 1b.

Figure 4

Mean proportion of total time allocated to studying words and word pairs across blocks for younger and older adults in Experiment 2.

Figure 5

Mean proportion reported strategy use for younger (top panel) and older (bottom panel) adults in Experiment 2.

Figure 6

Correlations (r) between younger and older adults’ average proportion of early value discovery (accessing the value array first on each trial) and average recall performance as a function of value in Experiment 2.

Figure 7

Predicted Marginal Means (and 95% confidence intervals) of paired associate recall for younger and older adults as a function of high and low Gf, high and low effective strategy use, and high and low point value for paired associates in Experiment 2. Low and high values for each variable represents estimates at 1 SD above and below the mean for each variable.