Memory Performance as a Function of Age, Reattribution Training and Type of Mnemonic Strategy Training

Abstract

This experiment investigated whether mnemonic strategy training, occurring over a two-month period, would result in improved memory performance when combined with reattribution training. It was also hypothesized that the old and young may differ in their ability to perform nonverbal and verbal mnemonics. Therefore, age-related differences in memory performance were investigated as a function of whether the mnemonic was verbal (Alphabet Search Method) or non-verbal (Method of Loci), and whether or not reattribution training was combined with mnemonic training. Subjects were 34 old (Mean age = 69.5) and 34 young (Mean age = 22.8) adults. Memory performance was measured on the California Verbal Learning Test, the Nelson-Denny Vocabulary Test, the Beck Depression Inventory and four memory span tasks, prior and following a two-month period of weekly mnemonic strategy training sessions. A third of the subjects were trained with the Method of Loci, a third with Alphabet Search, and the remaining third served as the waitlist control group. In addition, half the young and old subjects from each mnemonic group did, and half did not, participate in a reattribution training workshop. Results clearly showed that mnemonic strategy training was useful for the old and young. However, the combination of reattribution and mnemonic strategy training only enhanced old, not young, memory scores when the type of strategy required verbal skills (Alphabet Search). The implication was that mnemonic strategy training may be more effective for the old if combined with reattribution training, and, if the mnemonic requires verbal rather than non-verbal skills.