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False Recognition in Short-Term Memory - Age-Differences in Confidence
Barbara Sikora-Wachowicz1, Koryna Lewandowska1, Attila Keresztes2,3,4
1Department of Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroergonomics, Institute of Applied Psychology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland.
Frontiers in Psychology
|January 11, 2020
Summary
Older adults exhibit more confidence in false memories than younger adults, even in short-term memory tasks. This study explored age-related differences in false recognition and confidence.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Human Development
Background:
- Older adults are more prone to false memories than young adults, particularly in episodic memory.
- Research on age-related differences in short-term memory (STM) false recognition is limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate age-related differences in false alarm rates and confidence judgments within STM.
- To examine how aging affects memory monitoring and associative processes in short-term recognition.
Main Methods:
- A visual short-term recognition memory task was administered to 33 young and 33 older adults.
- Participants encoded abstract objects, made same/different decisions, and provided confidence ratings.
Main Results:
- Significant age-related differences were observed in memory performance (d-prime).
- No significant age differences were found in the rate of false alarms (FA).
- Older adults reported higher confidence in their incorrect recognition decisions compared to younger adults.
Conclusions:
- Aging impacts memory performance but not necessarily the rate of false recognition in STM.
- Older adults' heightened confidence in erroneous judgments suggests potential age-related changes in memory monitoring.
- Findings highlight the importance of considering age-related differences in both memory accuracy and confidence.
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