Flexibility and memory: are the elderly really less flexible?

All subjects were given two types of semantic encoding tasks; one encoding task directed attention to an item's thematic role (e.g., igloo was presented in the context of other items from the "North Pole" theme) and the other encoding task directed attention to the same item's role in some taxonomy (e.g., igloo was presented with other items from the dwelling taxonomy). Subjects were tested for free recall of the items followed by cued recall, the cues being theme and taxonomy labels. Young adults and middle-aged adults were more flexible retrieving items than older adults. They often switched modes during retrieval, recalling a few members from a theme and using the terminal item as a "pivot" to recall a few items from the taxonomy to which it also belonged. Flexibility was correlated with recall at each age; however, aging was associated with a less flexible style of retrieval.