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Music causes deterioration of source memory: evidence from normal ageing
Mohamad El Haj1, Diana Omigie, Sylvain Clément
1a Laboratoire Epsylon , Université Paul-Valery , Montpellier , France.
Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology (2006)
|May 31, 2014
Summary
Music exposure impairs source memory, especially in older adults. This effect is linked to difficulties in working memory binding, impacting the recall of object locations.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Human Memory
Background:
- Prior studies indicate music can negatively affect cognitive and behavioral functions.
- The specific impact of music on source memory, the recollection of contextual details, remains less understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if music exposure impairs source memory performance.
- To compare the effects of music on source memory in younger and older adults.
- To explore the relationship between music-induced source memory deficits and executive functions.
Main Methods:
- Participants (younger and elderly adults) encoded object locations in silence, to street noise, or to Vivaldi's "Four Seasons".
- Source memory was tested during silence via a recognition task assessing location recall.
- Performance on an executive binding task was also assessed.
Main Results:
- Music exposure significantly reduced source memory accuracy compared to silence.
- This impairment was more pronounced in older adults than in younger adults.
- Reduced source memory correlated with poorer performance on the executive binding task.
Conclusions:
- Music exposure interferes with the binding processes in working memory, leading to deficits in source memory.
- Older adults are particularly vulnerable to music-induced impairments in source memory.
- Executive functions, specifically binding, play a crucial role in mediating the effects of music on memory.
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