Psych of ageing Flashcards
Define life expectancy
Number of years remaining
What are the 3 main designs?
Cross-sectional, longitudinal, sequential
What are pros and cons of cross-sectional designs?
Quick, inexpensive, wide age-range, but between subjects, cohort effects, measures differences
Define cross-sectional design
Test groups, wait 10 years and retest
State the pros and cons of longitudinal studies
Measures age changes, within subjects, but time consuming, expensive, practice effects, period effects
Describe a sequential design
Combines cross-sectional and longitudinal
What are the pros and cons of sequential designs?
Separates period/cohort effects, looks at cohort changes, but complex, time consuming & expensive
Semantic memory is…
Knowledge, vocabulary, word fluency
Episodic memory is…
Recognition, recall of actions/words
Describe brain changes throughout ageing
Gradual degeneration of NS, loss of neurons, diminished functioning of neurons, more amyloid plaques, reduced blood flow, declining neurotransmitters
What are short changes?
Items retained for a few seconds, capacity limited to 7 +/- 2 items, tested by digit span
Describe working memory
Requires simultaneous storage and processing, involved in reading, arithmetic and conversations
Define long-term procedural memory
Well practised skills e.g. bike riding, instruments
What is semantic memory?
General factual knowledge, retained well in old age
What is episodic memory?
Memory for episodes and events, impaired by ageing, most damaged
