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Top-down processing and the suffix effect in young and older adults
Maura Pilotti1, Tim Beyer, Mariya Yasunami
1Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri , USA. mpilotti@hunter.cuny.edu
Memory & Cognition
|April 18, 2002
Summary
The suffix effect is not purely automatic; top-down influences affect recall. This study explored how experience and age-related inhibition impact these memory processes.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Human Memory
Background:
- The suffix effect, a memory phenomenon, was traditionally seen as having automatic and top-down influenced components.
- Recent research challenges this by suggesting terminal items are also influenced by top-down factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if the terminal item's susceptibility to top-down influences in the suffix effect depends on participant experience.
- To determine if age-related declines in inhibitory processes contribute to age differences in the suffix effect.
Main Methods:
- Participants' experience with the suffix effect's impact on recall was assessed.
- Age-related differences in inhibitory processes were examined in relation to the suffix effect.
Main Results:
- Findings indicate that the terminal item's sensitivity to top-down influences is indeed dependent on participant experience.
- Age differences in the suffix effect were linked to age-related declines in inhibitory functions.
Conclusions:
- The traditional view of the suffix effect requires revision, acknowledging the role of top-down influences on terminal items.
- Inhibitory processes play a crucial role in age-related variations of the suffix effect.