Abstract
Older adults exhibit disproportionate impairments in memory for item-associations. These impairments may stem from an inability to self-initiate deep encoding strategies. The present study investigates this using the “treasure-hunt task”; a what–where–when style episodic memory test that requires individuals to “hide” items around complex scenes. This task separately assesses memory for item, location, and temporal order, as well as bound what–where–when information. The results suggest that older adults are able to ameliorate integration memory deficits by using self-initiated encoding strategies when these are externally located and therefore place reduced demands on working memory and attentional resources.
Highlights
Older adults exhibit disproportionate impairments in memory for item-associations
It is often only when remembered elements of information are integrated into a single memory that they are functionally useful
Classical neuropsychological tools used to assess episodic memory in aging often fail to encompass the complexity of memory as it is experienced in everyday life (Piolino et al 2009)
Summary
Older adults exhibit disproportionate impairments in memory for item-associations. These impairments may stem from an inability to self-initiate deep encoding strategies. The present study uses a what– where –when-style memory test (the treasure-hunt task) to investigate age effects on memory for self-generated temporal-spatial events. The treasure-hunt task further differs from other episodic memory tests because the encoding period allows individuals to “hide” items themselves (Cheke et al 2015). A recent neuroimaging study of young adults using a version of the treasure-hunt task found that integrated WWW memory, but not memory for the individual elements, elicited activation in the left hippocampus and angular gyrus (LG Cheke, H Bonnici, NS Clayton, JS Simons, in prep.).
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