Centre for Policy on Ageing



Complex semantic processing in old age — does it stay or does it go?
Author(s)	Ulrich Mayr, Reinhold Kliegl
Journal title	Psychology and Aging, vol 15, no 1, March 2000
Pages	pp 29-43
Keywords	Mental speed ; Memory and Reminiscence ; Age groups [elderly] ; Young adults [20-25] ; Germany.
Annotation	In this German research, 24 older people's and 24 young adults' speed of producing exemplars of semantic categories (i.e. semantic fluency) varying in difficulty was assessed both in standard condition and in a "set-switching" condition where exemplars had to be produced from 2 categories in an alternating manner. "Retrieval-position function" parameters were used to assess speed of semantic access independent of non-semantic factors. Results suggested age effects in non-semantic components, but not in semantic retrieval per se. Also, age deficits in set switching were relatively subtle. Findings are discussed in relation to issues of domain specificity of age effects, as well as of the role of executive control during semantic retrieval and age differences therein. (RH).
Accession Number	CPA-000613404 A
Classmark	DG: DB: BB: SD6: 767
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...from the Ageinfo database published by Centre for Policy on Ageing.