Encoding and retrieval factors in human memory

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The general goals of the proposed program are to continue my investigations of relevant factors in memory encoding and retrieval processes by focusing on several outstanding questions that are necessary for a fuller understanding of human memory and its changes across the lifespan. These questions include the nature of working memory and its relations to attention, executive functions and specific abilities; the nature of 'processing resources' and their role in age-related memory changes; factors influencing performance in prospective memory tasks, and experiments on the reality of 'recognition without awareness.' I also plan to continue work on the effects of bilingualism on memory and attentional control, with some emphasis on their neural correlates. In preliminary work we have shown that measures of verbal and spatial WM are essentially independent; I now wish to extend this experiment to measure WM for verbal, spatial, musical and face-recognition abilities. The major questions concern the domain generality or specificity of both the ability and the attentional control aspects of WM. I will also examine this question in a collaborative fMRI study. I will continue to explore questions relating to the concept of attentional resources and their role in encoding and retrieval processes; can age-related memory difficulties be traced to declining processing resources? In a third group of studies, I will continue collaborative work on the effects of bilingualism on cognitive aging. The two main lines here are first an experiment to explore possible beneficial effects of bilingualism on memory in older adults. My prediction is that effects will be strongest with nonverbal material and in the 'conscious recollection' aspect of recognition. We also plan a neuroimaging study to follow up on preliminary findings that suggest that bilingualism is a form of cognitive reserve. We wish to confirm the notion that bilingualism does not slow the rate of age-related atrophy of medial-temporal regions, but rather enhances compensatory activity located in the frontal lobes. Finally, I will conduct experiments on recognition without awareness, and on age-related differences in prospective memory and planning.