title: Do alternative names block young and older adults' retrieval of proper names?
abstract: This study evaluates whether tip of the tongue experiences (TOTs) are caused by a more accessible word which blocks retrieval of the target word, especially for older adults. In a "competitor priming" paradigm, young and older adults produced the name of a famous character (e.g., Eliza Doolittle) in response to a question and subsequently named a picture of a famous actor or actress depicting this character (e.g., Audrey Hepburn as Eliza Doolittle). Older adults produced more TOTs than young adults, but prior production of a related character name did not affect TOTs, although it did reduce incorrect responses. There were no age differences in knowledge of films and TV and thus the age-related increase in TOTs is not because older adults have more relevant knowledge. The findings are compatible with models in which alternate words are a consequence not a cause of TOT.
authors.affiliation: Psychology Department, 550 Harvard Ave, Pomona College, Claremont, CA 91711, USA.
authors.forename: Emily S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Cross
authors.forename: Deborah M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Burke
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D001245:Association Learning; D001288:Attention; D005149:Facial Expression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term; D008875:Middle Aged; D009040:Motion Pictures; D009275:Names; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual; D011930:Reaction Time; D013690:Television; D014705:Verbal Behavior; D014706:Verbal Learning