Do age differences in odour memory depend on differences in verbal memory?
Studies of human odour memory have in most cases been obscured by the experimental designs utilised, in which verbal memory played a crucial role in the subjects' performance. Previously, attempts have been made to minimise verbal mediation in the assessment of odour memory by the use of incidental or implicit learning, which is how odours are learned in everyday life; it is still under debate whether this form of learning is age-dependent or not. In this experiment we make use of very uncommon odours and show that incidental learning of odours is as good in elderly people as in the young, whereas intentional learning is better in young people.
Møller
Per
P
Department of Dairy and Food Science, Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Rolighedsvej 30, 1958 Frederiksberg C, Denmark. pem@kvl.dk
Wulff
Christian
C
Köster
Egon Peter
EP
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009812:Odorants; D011581:Psychological Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012903:Smell / Q000502:physiology; D014706:Verbal Learning / Q000502:physiology*