Metacognitive monitoring in visuospatial working memory

Research within the domain of spatial working memory has not conclusively determined whether age differences exist. Under some conditions, age-equivalence has been demonstrated for location information. Under other conditions, age-equivalence has been demonstrated for identity information. In three experiments, we examined identity memory, location memory, and their combination in a visuospatial working memory (VSWM) paradigm. Older and younger adults were compared. In addition, we examined metacognitive processes associated with each VSWM component. Results suggest an overall age-deficit in VSWM. Our results also suggest that location information may be less effortfully processed as compared to identity information. With regarding to metacognitive monitoring, we found age-equivalence for identity prediction accuracy and an age-related deficit in prediction accuracy for location information. The present study is the first to demonstrate both age-deficits and age-equivalence in metacognitive prediction accuracy within a working memory paradigm.