In a memory study, Dr. Ling tests young and old adults' memory for a word list using either an explicit free-recall task or an implicit fragment-completion task. Which pattern of results might she expect?
A) The older adults should perform more poorly than the younger adults on the free-recall task, but just as well as the young adults on the fragment-completion task.
B) The older adults should perform just as well as the younger adults on the free-recall task, but more poorly than the young adults on the fragment-completion task.
C) The older adults should perform just as well as the younger adults on both tasks.
D) The older adults should perform more poorly than the younger adults on both tasks.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

According to research on age-related declines in memory, older adults tend to have more difficulty with explicit memory tasks, such as free recall, compared to young adults. However, they are often just as capable as young adults when it comes to implicit memory tasks, such as fragment completion. Therefore, Dr. Ling might expect to see older adults perform more poorly than young adults on the free-recall task, but just as well as young adults on the fragment-completion task. Choice A describes this pattern of results.

In a Memory Study, Dr