Age-dependent recall bias for material of internal versus external origin.
OBJECTIVE
To learn whether young and aged subjects exhibit different recall biases for internally derived (Internal) versus externally supplied (External) material.


BACKGROUND
Internally derived knowledge, prized by educators and therapists, can bring about dramatic behavioral change. Such information, seldom assessed on formal memory testing, may be preferentially recalled compared with external-origin material. Under some circumstances, however, subjects may demonstrate a recall advantage for externally supplied over internally generated material.


METHODS
We compared Internal and External word recall in young and aged subjects with and without explicit intent to remember.


RESULTS
Although overall the young and aged subjects recalled the same number of words, we did find a word-origin recall bias. This recall bias differed by age group (P = 0.005). When not instructed to remember words, the young subjects tended to remember more External words, while aged subjects remembered more Internal words.


CONCLUSIONS
The differences in the brain mechanisms mediating Internal versus External recall bias are unknown. However, aging may modify an Internal-External memory bias.
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis