Cognitive aging and inhibitory efficiency in the Daneman and Carpenter's working memory task.

Full Abstract

This study tests the hypothesis that the ability to inhibit already processed and actually irrelevant information influences performance in the reading span task (RST). French versions of the Stroop color-word task and of the Daneman and Carpenter's RST were administered to 151 participants from 30 to 80 years. In addition to the traditional span score, a score of vulnerability to intrusions was also computed as the number of intruding responses (words from preceding trials of the RST or nonfinal words). An analysis of variance showed a significant age effect on the reading span and on the resistance to interference, but no significant age effect on the vulnerability to intruding responses. A multiple-regression analysis was also made with the reading span score as the dependent variable, and with age, vulnerability to intrusions, and resistance to Stroop interference as independent variables. This analysis revealed that there was a relation between participants' vulnerability to intruding responses and their working memory span scores; the contribution of age and resistance to interference were very weak. In conclusion the present findings first support the idea that the working memory capacity undoubtedly involves some inhibitory control; however, because the participants' vulnerability to intruding responses is not clearly affected by age, the present findings also suggest that some part of age effects upon the working memory span has to be explained by another factor than a growing inefficiency in inhibitory control.

Learn Faster Today Improve your study skills

Author information

Author/s: Schelstraete, Marie-Anne (MA); Hupet, Michel (M);

Affiliation: Department of Experimental Psychology, 10, Place du Cardinal Mercier, B-1348-Louvain La Neuve, Belgium. schelstraete(-atsign-)exco.ucl.ac.be

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article

Journal: Experimental aging research (Exp Aging Res), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: -2002 Jul-Sep; vol 28 (issue 3) : pp 269-79

Dates: Created 2002/06/25; Completed 2003/01/06; Revised 2008/02/25;

PMID: 12079578, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

External Links for this article (including full text providers, if available):

Click Electronic Full-text Provider Links to see options for finding the electronic full text links to this article. Note there may be a subscription or fee required for access to the full text. See our FAQ for information on finding FREE full text articles.

This article may also be located in paper journal collections available in many libraries. Use the Journal and Publication Information above to find the full article.

MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Aging - psychology
Cognition
Humans

These are the highest related articles currently in the database:

See 100+ related articles.