Age differences in stroop interference in working memory.
Working memory capacity can be conceptualized as the ability to use controlled attention in short term memory (Engle, Tuholski, Laughlin, & Conway, 1999). We tested this idea in young and older adults by combining the task demands of two neuropsychological tests, word span, and Stroop color-naming. Young and older adults were asked to name the colors of a series of congruent and incongruent color-words (between 2 and 6 words/trial). After all the color-words were presented participants attempted to recall the colors in their serial order. This task required inhibition of the prepotent word reading response (i.e., color naming), with a concurrent memory load (caused by the need to maintain already named colors in short-term memory). Older adults showed greater interference effects, and these interference effects increased as a function of memory load. Regression analyses showed that measures of working memory capacity and executive function accounted for unique variance in incongruent color-word errors for older adults. Defining working memory capacity as the ability to use controlled attention in short-term memory may be a fruitful way to think about this concept in studies of executive function.
McCabe
David P
DP
Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA. dmccab@artsci.wuslt.edu
Robertson
Chuck L
CL
Smith
Anderson D
AD
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D003118:Color Perception / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007206:Individuality; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual / Q000502:physiology; D011931:Reactive Inhibition; D012044:Regression Analysis