Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 19, 2025
10:13
Assessment of Age-related Changes in Cognitive Functions Using EmoCogMeter, a Novel Tablet-computer Based Approach
Published on: February 14, 2014
14.0K
Memory updating through aging: different patterns for socially meaningful (and not) stimuli
Caterina Artuso1, Paola Palladino2, Paola Ricciardelli3
1Department of Communication Sciences, Humanities and International Studies, University of Urbino "Carlo Bo", Urbino, Italy. caterina.artuso@uniurb.it.
Aging Clinical and Experimental Research
|June 6, 2020
Summary
Working memory updating declines with age, but less so for socially meaningful stimuli like faces compared to letters. This suggests a stimulus-specific updating process in cognitive aging.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Human Development
Background:
- Working memory updating is vital for maintaining active information and inhibiting irrelevant data.
- Updating research has predominantly used verbal stimuli, with less focus on faces, which hold significant social and adaptive value.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate age-related differences in working memory updating across three distinct age groups.
- To compare updating performance with socially meaningful (faces) versus non-socially meaningful (letters) stimuli.
Main Methods:
- Participants included young adults (20-30), young-old (60-75), and older-old (77-87) adults.
- Updating tasks involved letters and human faces (manipulating expression and gaze).
- Response times were measured during encoding, maintenance, and updating phases.
Main Results:
- Processing speed increased linearly with age across both letter and face stimuli.
- The age-related decline in updating was less pronounced for face stimuli compared to letter stimuli.
- This indicates a stimulus-specific updating process in cognitive aging.
Conclusions:
- Age impacts cognitive processing speed, affecting working memory updating.
- Socially meaningful stimuli, such as faces, may be less susceptible to age-related declines in updating.
- Findings suggest that the nature of the stimulus influences the age-related decline in working memory updating.
Related Concept Videos
01:30Cognitive Development During Adulthood
666
Cognitive development continues throughout adulthood, undergoing significant shifts across early, middle, and late stages. Individual transition occurs from adolescent idealism to pragmatic and adaptable thinking in early adulthood. During this period, individuals learn to integrate personal beliefs with the recognition that other perspectives are equally valid. Exposure to the complexities of modern society, diverse experiences, and higher education contribute to this adaptive thought process,...
666
01:16Interference and Decay
356
Forgetting is a complex cognitive phenomenon influenced by several factors, among which interference and decay are particularly prominent. These processes explain why individuals often struggle to retrieve specific information from memory, leading to lapses in recall that can be observed in everyday situations.
Interference occurs when competing memories hinder the retrieval of particular information. It can be classified into two types: proactive and retroactive interference. Proactive...
Interference occurs when competing memories hinder the retrieval of particular information. It can be classified into two types: proactive and retroactive interference. Proactive...
356
02:55Stereotypes, Prejudice, and Discrimination
94.6K
Humans are very diverse and although we share many similarities, we also have many differences. The social groups we belong to help form our identities (Tajfel, 1974). These differences may be difficult for some people to reconcile, which may lead to prejudice toward people who are different. Prejudice is a negative attitude and feeling toward an individual based solely on one’s membership in a particular social group (Allport, 1954; Brown, 2010). Prejudice is common against people who...
94.6K
01:26Higher Mental Functions of Brain: Learning and Memory
1.8K
Memory is one of the most vital higher mental functions of the brain. Memory is closely related to learning because it enables us to retain information and experiences from our past to use them in our present life. It also helps us to remember facts, events, and skills, such as riding a bike or swimming. There are two types of memory — declarative memory, which involves memorizing facts or events, and procedural memory, which enables us to remember how to do something like writing or...
1.8K
01:24Implicit Memories
356
Implicit memories, also known as non-declarative memories, are long-term memories that function outside of conscious awareness. These memories influence behavior and skills without explicit knowledge. This type of memory is evident in tasks like playing tennis, snowboarding, and texting. Implicit memory has three subsystems: procedural memory, conditioning, and priming. This type of memory is essential in various activities, from everyday tasks to specialized skills.
One key aspect of implicit...
One key aspect of implicit...
356
01:22Chunking and Rehearsal in Sensory Memory
493
Improving short-term memory can be achieved through techniques like chunking and rehearsal. Chunking involves organizing information into larger, more manageable units. This technique is particularly useful for information that exceeds the typical memory span of between five and nine items. For instance, logging into an online account with a password like "ta89vq0179gz" involves grouping letters and numbers into three chunks—ta89, vq01, and 79gz. It makes large amounts of...
493