[Common memory aids of younger and older people]

This study investigates the use of internal and external mnemonics in everyday life. External mnemonics were assumed to be less capacity demanding than internal ones. Additionally, we expected the use of internal techniques to be reduced in western societies because of an environment changing towards a "world of external storing devices". Thirty students and 20 institutionalized old people were interviewed about their everyday use of mnemonics. The interviews were based on Harris' mnemonics questionnaire (1980). Our results indicate students using internal as well as external mnemonics, although for more external ones. In general, the same is true for the institutionalized elderly. However, 1) they mainly use external aids, and 2) in total, they use fewer mnemonics than students. These results contradict the general assumption of old people compensating for memory problems by increasingly relying on mnemonics. Instead, the dominance of external aids indicates a tendency to process information more economically. Overall, the results suggest the necessity of further investigating the conditions for a successful use of external aids in everyday life.