title: Working memory and the revision of syntactic and discourse ambiguities.
abstract: Two hundred participants, 50 in each of 4 age ranges (19-29 years, 30-49 years, 50-69 years, 70-90 years) were tested for short-term working memory, speed of processing, and online processing of 3 types of sentences in which an initially assigned syntactic structure and/or semantic interpretation had to be revised. Self-paced reading times were longer for the segments that signaled the need for revision; there also were interactions of age and sentence type and speed of processing and sentence type, but not of working memory and sentence type on reading times for these segments. The results provide evidence that working memory does not support the processes that revise the structure and interpretation of sentences and discourse.
authors.affiliation: Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Boston University.
authors.forename: William S
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.affiliation: Neuropsychology Laboratory, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Caplan
authors.affiliation: Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Boston University.
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ostrowski
authors.affiliation: Neuropsychology Laboratory, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Michaud
authors.affiliation: Institute for Health Professions, Massachusetts General Hospital.
authors.forename: Anthony J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Guarino
authors.affiliation: Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Boston University.
authors.forename: Gloria
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Waters
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D032882:Comprehension / Q000502:physiology*; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007206:Individuality; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009862:Online Systems; D012660:Semantics; D013997:Time Factors; D014706:Verbal Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult