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Updated: May 18, 2026
04:30
An Experimental Paradigm for Measuring the Effects of Ageing on Sentence Processing
Published on: October 25, 2019
Age-related associative deficits and the isolation effect
Stephen P Badham1, Elizabeth A Maylor
1a Department of Psychology , University of Warwick , Coventry , UK.
Summary
Older adults exhibit similar memory enhancement for distinct items (isolation effect) as younger adults. This suggests age-related cognitive changes may not significantly impact this memory phenomenon.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Human Development
Background:
- The isolation effect enhances memory for distinct items in a list.
- Older adults typically show reduced isolation effects, linked to associative memory deficits.
- This study investigates the isolation effect in aging populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the isolation effect in older adults compared to young adults.
- To determine if age-related associative memory deficits impact the isolation effect.
- To explore other potential age-related cognitive factors influencing the isolation effect.
Main Methods:
- Two experiments were conducted to assess the isolation effect.
- Isolation criteria included spatial position, modality, color, and associative relations.
- Participants were young and older adults.
Main Results:
- No significant differences were found in the magnitude of the isolation effect between young and older adults.
- Age-related deficits in associative memory did not reduce the isolation effect in older adults.
- Enhanced self-initiated processing and inhibitory control in older adults may counteract associative memory deficits.
Conclusions:
- The isolation effect is preserved in older adults despite potential associative memory impairments.
- Cognitive factors beyond associative memory, such as inhibitory control, may support the isolation effect in aging.
- This research challenges previous assumptions about age-related memory decline impacting the isolation effect.
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