Memory for proper names: Age differences in retrieval

Abstract

Memory for proper names was investigated using (i) a questionnaire and (ii) an experimental task. Subjects ranging in age from 20 to 80 years recorded details of naturally occurring retrieval blocks for proper names. Age differences in the nature of the blocks were apparent. For the young and middle‐aged partial information about the target name was usually available and non‐target candidates were elicited during search for the target name. Elderly subjects more frequently experienced an ‘empty gap’, with no partial information about the target name and no candidate names. The experimental task required recall of names and descriptions from specially constructed fictional biographies. There was an age‐related deficit in recall of all types of information, but in all age groups memory for names of people was poorer than memory for names of places, occupations and hobbies. Some explanations for the difficulty of retrieving people's names and for the age effects are considered.