SCHEMATIC KNOWLEDGE INFLUENCES ON MEMORY IN ADULTHOOD

许多研究都是针对 老年人 直到最近，这项工作的很大一部分 在评估中使用了传统的实验室记忆任务 记忆功能。 虽然这项工作在 从这项研究中得出的结论 对日常记忆功能的理解一直受到质疑。 具体而言，所使用的任务（例如，学习不相关的列表 单词）似乎与记忆处理的类型有关 这在一个人的生活中是很常见的。 如果一种理解 是要了解衰老是如何影响一个人 功能和适应他或她的环境，研究必须集中在 被认为与背景相关的进程。 根据这一 推理，拟议的研究涉及检查 与日常记忆密切相关的过程的效率 运作。 具体来说，成年人年龄差异的影响 日常知识结构，图式，对记忆表现的影响 将被审查。 这种知识结构被假定为提供 指导日常活动的框架，例如杂货店 购物和洗衣服。 模式有利于 保留，因为假设它们有助于理解 并提供一个组织结构， 记住这些事件中发生的事情。 相对于 老化，它被认为是示意性的处理，特别是 这是有益的，因为它减少了处理 信息. 在某种程度上， 取决于这样的处理，保留的年龄差异应该是 最小的 相反，当内存处理需要使用 更有效的上下文无关的过程，如排练，老 成年人应该处于不利地位。 提出了六个实验方案 来检查内存性能。 这些研究将改变需求 在年轻人和老年人的记忆情况下， 来发现在哪些条件下， 是最伟大的。 据推测，年龄差异将是 在最接近发生的情况下最小 在日常情况下（例如，有意义的刺激，活跃的 记忆事件的理解），并将增加，因为他们成为 更人工的（例如，无意义的刺激，记忆是意图）。 希望这些研究能提供一个更清晰的认识 在日常生活中发挥作用。

Much research has been conducted examining the memory skills of older adults. Until recently, a substantial portion of this work has utilized traditional laboratory memory tasks in the assessment of memory functioning. Although this work has been useful in the conclusions derived from this research with respect to understanding everyday memory functioning has been questioned. Specifically, the tasks used (e.g., learning lists of unrelated words) appear to have relevance to the type of memory processing that occurs normally in an individual's life. If an understanding is to be achieved of how aging affects an individual's ability to function and adapt to his or her environment, research must focus on processes considered context-relevant. In line with this reasoning, the proposed research is concerned with examining the efficiency of processes that are closely tied to everyday memory functioning. Specifically, adult age differences in the influence of everyday knowledge structures, schemas, on memory performance will be examined. This knowledge structures are assumed to provide a framework for guiding everyday activities, such as grocery shopping and doing the laundry. Schemas are beneficial to retention because it is assumed that they facilities comprehension of common events and provide an organizational structure for remembering things occurring within those events. With respect to aging, it is assumed that schematic processing is especially beneficial because it reduces the effort required to process information. To the extent the performance in memory situations depends on such processing, age differences in retention should be minimal. Conversely, when memory processing requires the use of more effortful context-free processes, such as rehearsal, older adults should be at a disadvantage. Six experiments are proposed to examine memory performance. These studies will vary the demands placed on young and older adults in memory situations in an attempt to discover conditions under which age differences in performance are greatest. It is hypothesized that age differences will be smallest in situations most closely approximating those occurring in everyday situations (e.g., meaningful stimuli, active comprehension of the memory event) and will increase as they become more artificial (e.g., meaningless stimuli, memory is intention). It is hoped that these studies will provide a clearer understanding of the older adult's to function in everyday situations.