Instructing use of an effective strategy improves recognition memory in healthy adults

Abstract

Objectives: Age-related memory decrements correlate with metacognitive declines, including knowledge and deployment of effective mnemonic encoding strategies. However, whether imparting such strategy suffices for mitigating memory differences is unclear.

Method: In a longitudinal study of 276 healthy adults aged 18–79 years, we tested associative and working memory, and assessed beliefs regarding mnemonic strategies. Testing was repeated every 2 years, 5 times. Starting with the third occasion, we instructed participants to use an effective mnemonic strategy (sentence generation). Using continuous-time dynamic modeling, we assessed changes in the item and associative recognition, intervention effects, and their relations with age, sex, meta-memory beliefs, working memory, and metabolic health.

Results: Younger age, better working memory, and stronger belief in effective mnemonic strategies predicted better recognition, whereas instructional intervention attenuated associative memory deficits, with some persistence over time.

Discussion: The present findings show merely imparting effective strategies holds promise for mitigating age-related associative memory deficits.