title: What are the age differences in visual sensory memory?
abstract: The present investigation examined age differences in visual persistence using a direct measurement technique of Haber and Standing (1969). Young and old adult subjects were compared as to the apparent continuity of a circle when it was alternated cyclically with a second blank interstimulus field of variable duration. Contrary to a previous study, old subjects demonstrated significantly greater levels of persistence. Contrast relationship of the target stimulus and its background did not interact with age. Although the data were consistent with a hypothesis of increased persistence of stimuli in the senescent nervous system, alternatively they suggest problems in the direct measurement technique.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000502:physiology*; D011939:Mental Recall; D008875:Middle Aged; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology*