Metacognitive monitoring in visuospatial working memory.
Research within the domain of spatial working memory has not conclusively determined whether age differences exist. Under some conditions, age-equivalence has been demonstrated for location information. Under other conditions, age-equivalence has been demonstrated for identity information. In three experiments, we examined identity memory, location memory, and their combination in a visuospatial working memory (VSWM) paradigm. Older and younger adults were compared. In addition, we examined metacognitive processes associated with each VSWM component. Results suggest an overall age-deficit in VSWM. Our results also suggest that location information may be less effortfully processed as compared to identity information. With regarding to metacognitive monitoring, we found age-equivalence for identity prediction accuracy and an age-related deficit in prediction accuracy for location information. The present study is the first to demonstrate both age-deficits and age-equivalence in metacognitive prediction accuracy within a working memory paradigm.
Department of Psychology, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA. ayanna.thomas@tufts.edu
Ayanna K
AK
Thomas
Bailey M
BM
Bonura
Holly A
HA
Taylor
Tad T
TT
Brunyé
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003071:Cognition; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007600:Judgment; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term; D013028:Space Perception; D014796:Visual Perception; D055815:Young Adult