Impact of Age on Capabilities to Process Recall

Impact of Age on Capabilities to
Process Recall
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Abstract
Incidental learning tasks were performed by two subject groups old and young. The effect of age
was studied on semantic and non-semantic tasks. Two tasks involved non-semantic analysing
power whereas other two included semantic process analysis. One control (intentional) task was
also performed. Using descriptive statistics the effect of age on in depth analysis was studied by
dividing the experiment data into 2age x 5orienting tasks. The results clarified the effect of age
related depletion in incidental learning which is evident from the ability of depth of processing
the tasks.
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Table of Contents
Abstract.......................................................................................................................................................2
Table of Tables............................................................................................................................................3
1.0 Introduction...........................................................................................................................................4
2.0 Method..................................................................................................................................................6
3.0 Results...................................................................................................................................................9
4.0 Discussion............................................................................................................................................15
5.0 Reference Lists.....................................................................................................................................17
6.0 Appendix..............................................................................................................................................20
Table of Tables
Table 1: Mean number of words recalled as a function of Age Group and Recall pattern.........................13
Table 2: Age * Recall type measures.........................................................................................................13
Table 3: F values for k-clustering data......................................................................................................15
Table 4: Descriptive statistics for the entire recall pattern........................................................................20
Table 5: Multivariate Test results for the sample......................................................................................21
Table 6: Within- subjects effects and analysis...........................................................................................22
Table 7: Within- subjects contrasts analysis..............................................................................................22
Table 8: Test result between- Subjects effects..........................................................................................23
Table 9: Estimated marginal means...........................................................................................................23
Table 10: Levene's Test of Equality of Error Variancesa............................................................................24
Table 11: Pair-wise Comparisons of recall types.................................................................................24
Table 12: Multivariate Tests results...........................................................................................................25
Table 13: Normality test of the sample based on gender..........................................................................26
Table 14: Normality test of the sample based on gender..........................................................................27
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Table 15: Independent sample t-test for gender.......................................................................................27
Table 16: Recall with imagery test.............................................................................................................28
Table 17: Recall with counting test............................................................................................................28
Table 18: Recall with adjective test...........................................................................................................28
Table 19: Recall with rhyming test............................................................................................................29
Table 20: Recall with control test..............................................................................................................29
Table of figures
Figure 1: A priori sample size G-Power normality curve............................................................................11
Figure 2: Box plot of the two genders.......................................................................................................12
Figure 3: Box plot of the two age groups...................................................................................................12
Figure 4: Profile plot of estimated Marginal means of two age groups.....................................................26
Figure 5: Power curve for normality test...................................................................................................27
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1.0 Introduction
Learning is the process of human development from childhood through adulthood
(Botwinick 2013). Various psychologists have defined and segregated cognitive and learning
skill developmental according to age groups. Psychology based experiments conducted by well-
known scholars depicts that younger people are at more advantage in learning compared to older
adults, who are less likely to be amendable. The scope of the current study aims at analyzing the
following research question; Does age influence depth of processing effects on recall?
Significance of the Study: Craik (1968) in his experiment found that while easy learning such as
recalling color names did not have much distinction amongst age groups, there was differential
learning when tested for scrambled proverbs and texts(Eysenck 1974). Studies depict that coding
capabilities in cases of color names is highly different compared to textual materials. Craik and
Lockhart (1972) concluded that coding capabilities associated with proverbs or scrambled texts
includes greater degree of cognitive or semantic analysis. Young are capable of process of
remembering information in greater depths as compared to their older counterparts, it is assumed
to be working hypothesis with the gap being processing-deficit hypothesis (Lee 2013). From the
hypothesis taking together an assumption of retention being directly linked to processing depth, a
large number of testable deductions are arrived at.
In order to test for processing-deficit hypothesis multiple incidental-learning paradigm
can be applied. In a study conducted by Hyde and Jenkins (1973), participants were asked to
perform orienting tasks with list of words but they were not alarmed regarding recalling of t hose
words (Kausler 1965). Each of the orienting tasks differed on basis of their processing
requirements. While recalling of orienting task, there was a prerequisite regarding their
processing needs for understanding whether these words needed to be semantically processed.
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Semantic tasks involved detailed processing of information hence needed more recalling
compared to other tasks. According to the hypothesis of processing-deficit, age-related recall
decreases as depth of processing of a task increases.
Variables: Age group, gender, 5 different task groups were variables of the study. Gender was
later excluded from variable list due to the fact that it did not have significant effect on the
number of words recalled by the subjects.
Hypothesis: The study consisted of the null hypothesis which was as follows:
H0: Age does not have any effect on the in depth processing for recalling information
Earlier studies aimed at analysing incidental learning at different ages in an adult’s life-
span have not been able to conclude (Alfieri 2011). Conclusions derived from these studies have
mostly been haphazard as some studies depict decreasing effects on age-based learning, whereas
insignificant deterioration was noted as age progressed. All the studies conducted earlier reflects
minor experimental control on subjects with incidental elements, therefore an effort to establish
connection between age and incidental based learning was not successful. This study attaches
great importance of natural learning with incidental variety, which is a systematic probe rather
than connecting realistic data of age-related learning (Gegenfurtner 2012).
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