Differential Contributions of Source Memory and Inhibitory Deficiencies to Working Memory Decline With Age

Abstract

Both inhibitory deficit and source monitoring theories of working memory (WM) decline with age state that older adults should be more susceptible to interference. Hedden and Park (2001b) presented evidence supporting both of these theories, but their experimental design had a significant confound. The present study replicated the portion of Hedden & Park's experiment in question. Participants were presented with three sets of words: one set to remember, one set to read, and one set whose purpose was to test the participants' recall for the previous sets. The hypothesis was evaluated using reaction time and accuracy data as the dependent variables. The most important effect seen was that a portion of older adults experienced interference in a WM task when they read interfering information and were then later tested on that same information, providing strong support for the source monitoring deficit view of age-related WM decline.