Verbal Working Memory in Older Adults: The Roles of Phonological Capacities and Processing Speed

Autor/inn/en	Nittrouer, Susan; Lowenstein, Joanna H.; Wucinich, Taylor; Moberly, Aaron C.
Titel	Verbal Working Memory in Older Adults: The Roles of Phonological Capacities and Processing Speed
Quelle	In: Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 59 (2016) 6, S.1520-1532 (13 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1092-4388
DOI	10.1044/2016_JSLHR-H-15-0404
Schlagwörter	Verbal Ability; Short Term Memory; Accuracy; Reaction Time; Phonological Awareness; Recall (Psychology); Task Analysis; Language Processing; Measures (Individuals); Young Adults; Older Adults; Comparative Analysis; Role; Auditory Perception; Age Differences; Aging (Individuals); Individual Differences + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Mündliche Leistung; Kurzzeitgedächtnis; Reaktionsvermögen; Abberufung; Aufgabenanalyse; Sprachverarbeitung; Messdaten; Young adult; Junger Erwachsener; Älterer Erwachsener; Rollen; Auditive Wahrnehmung; Akustische Wahrnehmung; Akustik; Age; Difference; Age difference; Altersunterschied; Aging; Altern; Individueller Unterschied
Abstract	Purpose: This study examined the potential roles of phonological sensitivity and processing speed in age-related declines of verbal working memory. Method: Twenty younger and 25 older adults with age-normal hearing participated. Two measures of verbal working memory were collected: digit span and serial recall of words. Processing speed was indexed using response times during those tasks. Three other measures were also obtained, assessing phonological awareness, processing, and recoding. Results: Forward and reverse digit spans were similar across groups. Accuracy on the serial recall task was poorer for older than for younger adults, and response times were slower. When response time served as a covariate, the age effect for accuracy was reduced. Phonological capacities were equivalent across age groups, so we were unable to account for differences across age groups in verbal working memory. Nonetheless, when outcomes for only older adults were considered, phonological awareness and processing speed explained significant proportions of variance in serial recall accuracy. Conclusion: Slowing in processing abilities accounts for the primary trajectory of age-related declines in verbal working memory. However, individual differences in phonological capacities explain variability among individual older adults. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. 2200 Research Blvd #250, Rockville, MD 20850. Tel: 301-296-5700; Fax: 301-296-8580; e-mail: slhr@asha.org; Web site: http://jslhr.pubs.asha.org
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2020/1/01