Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 3, 2026
07:01
Working Memory Training for Older Participants: A Control Group Training Regimen and Initial Intellectual Functioning Assessment
Published on: September 20, 2020
Memory training and strategy use in older adults: results from the ACTIVE study
Alden L Gross1, George W Rebok
1Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA. aldgross@jhsph.edu
Psychology and Aging
|March 30, 2011
Summary
Memory training in older adults enhances cognitive strategy use, with effects lasting five years. These strategies improve memory performance and everyday functioning, demonstrating durable benefits for aging cognition.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive psychology
- Neuroscience of aging
- Gerontology
Background:
- Limited understanding of long-term effects of memory training on strategy use in older adults.
- Need for research on strategy modification and its impact on cognitive function and daily life.
- Utilizing data from the Advanced Cognitive Training for Independent and Vital Elderly (ACTIVE) study.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the long-term effects of memory training on strategy use in older adults.
- To examine the longitudinal associations between strategy use, memory performance, and everyday functioning.
- To determine if cognitive strategies can be modified through training and if these changes mediate functional improvements.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of data from 1,401 community-dwelling older adults in the ACTIVE study.
- Assessment of strategy clustering scores on verbal list learning tasks for episodic memory.
- Longitudinal analysis of strategy use, memory performance, and everyday functioning over time.
Main Results:
- Memory training demonstrated significant immediate effects on strategy use, maintained for five years.
- Pre-post training changes in strategy use scores mediated improvements in objective memory performance.
- Strategy use changes also mediated improvements in everyday functioning, linking strategies to independent living.
Conclusions:
- Older adults can be effectively trained to use cognitive strategies.
- The positive effects of memory training on strategy use are durable and long-lasting.
- Trained cognitive strategies are associated with enhanced memory ability and improved everyday functioning in later life.
Related Concept Videos
01:22Chunking and Rehearsal in Sensory Memory
Improving short-term memory can be achieved through techniques like chunking and rehearsal. Chunking involves organizing information into larger, more manageable units. This technique is particularly useful for information that exceeds the typical memory span of between five and nine items. For instance, logging into an online account with a password like "ta89vq0179gz" involves grouping letters and numbers into three chunks—ta89, vq01, and 79gz. It makes large amounts of information more...
01:30Cognitive Development During Adulthood
Cognitive development continues throughout adulthood, undergoing significant shifts across early, middle, and late stages. Individual transition occurs from adolescent idealism to pragmatic and adaptable thinking in early adulthood. During this period, individuals learn to integrate personal beliefs with the recognition that other perspectives are equally valid. Exposure to the complexities of modern society, diverse experiences, and higher education contribute to this adaptive thought process,...
01:23Mnemonic Devices
Mnemonic devices are cognitive tools that facilitate memory retention by linking new information to familiar patterns or organizational strategies. These techniques are beneficial for remembering complex or lengthy sets of information by simplifying and structuring them in easily retrievable ways.
Acronyms
Acronyms are created by using the initial letters of a series of words to form a new word or phrase. This approach condenses complex information into a single, memorable entity. For example,...
Acronyms
Acronyms are created by using the initial letters of a series of words to form a new word or phrase. This approach condenses complex information into a single, memorable entity. For example,...
01:24Working Memory
Working memory refers to a combination of components, including short-term memory and attention, that allow an individual to hold information temporarily as we perform cognitive tasks. It is an essential cognitive function that enables the execution of complex tasks such as problem-solving, comprehension, and reasoning. Unlike short-term memory, which simply involves the storage of information for a brief period, working memory involves the active manipulation and processing of this information.