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Working Memory Training for Older Participants: A Control Group Training Regimen and Initial Intellectual Functioning Assessment
Published on: September 20, 2020
Maintenance and manipulation of object sequences in working memory: a lifespan study
Francesca Federico1, Franco Delogu, Antonino Raffone
1Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, "Sapienza" University of Rome, 78, Via dei Marsi, 00185, Rome, Italy, francesca.federico@uniroma1.it.
Working memory shows significant changes across the lifespan, with a key transition in object sequence manipulation occurring between ages 8 and 10. Both children and older adults exhibit differences in working memory tasks compared to young adults.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Human Lifespan Studies
Background:
- Working memory undergoes significant developmental changes throughout the human lifespan.
- Previous research indicates alterations in various working memory components across different age groups.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate age-related changes in working memory components.
- To identify specific transitions in performance during childhood and adulthood.
Main Methods:
- Evaluated working memory in five age groups: 6, 8, 10-year-olds, young adults, and old adults (10 subjects per group).
- Assessed performance in both maintenance and manipulation conditions of object sequence tasks.
- Measured accuracy and reaction time (RT) for each age group.
Main Results:
- A significant transition in object sequence manipulation performance was observed between 8 and 10 years of age.
- Ten-year-olds and old adults differed from young adults in accuracy and RT for both maintenance and manipulation.
- Young and old adults showed distinct differences in RT specifically for the manipulation condition.
Conclusions:
- Working memory undergoes notable changes from late childhood through old age.
- A shift in response strategy, prioritizing accuracy, may occur between 6 and 8 years of age.
- Findings align with neuroscientific data and propose new research directions.
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