Psych of Aging and Cellular, PA stuff, etc Flashcards
memory
the recall of info after learning takes place
sensory memory
info perceived through the senses and stored as memory
- like an ultra short term memory 2000-5000ms
short term memory
where info is stored temporarily while it’s being processed or for a short time afterward
- a facet of working memory just for storage
- can store 7+/- 2 items here
working memory
where recent acquired info is temporarily retrieved and manipulated
- used w STM but is more about framework
- older people show deficits in working memory
long term memory
the storehouse of knowledge that also includes the rules for applying knowledge
strategies for transferring info from STM to LTM
repetition, chunking, acronyms, mnemonics
non episodic memory
aka semantic memory
- info w no reference to the time at which it was acquired ex. general knowledge of the world
episodic memory
memory acquired at a specific time and place
you can kind of see where you were with the memory
- shows greater decline with age than other types of memory
encoding
the process whereby a person puts new bits of info together with already stored info
- older people show a slower speed of encoding
latency
the length of time it takes a person to process info or respond to a question
in terms of latency, older people take longer to _ _ _
- learn new info
- search for it in memory
- use it when they need it
the contextual view of memory
states that many conditions influence memory incl psychological, physical and social contexts, also abilities of the individual and characteristics about what a subject is asked to remember
- literally memory depends on a lot of stuff
limits of lab research on memory
- factors other than age can influence studies
- test conditions can influence the results
- stereotype threat for older people
- design flaws
stereotype threat
an older person’s fear of failure on memory test which leads to poor performance
- you think you’re supposed to do poorly so do you do do poorly
the brain shrinks and gains abnormalities as we age. what are some of these?
- changes in physiology of the brain (age 30)
- loss of brain structure: loss of gray and white matter leads to decline in mental function
- neural pruning: cutting down pathways in the brain that aren’t useful
intelligence
the ability to negotiate environmental demands successfully or that which intelligence tests measure
fluid intelligence
reasoning, abstracting, concept formation, problem solving with little use for knowledge gained through reading, schooling or work
- used for spatial thinking and reasoning
- declines with age as we struggle to understand new and complex things
crystallized intelligence
depends on stored info, accumulation and learning (numerical and verbal skills)
- may improve with age because is based on more experiences
how are learning and memory linked?
they’re both used for the retrieval of info
- older adults can learn new skills, ideas and concepts
- takes older adults longer to search for info, code, recall and respond
plasticity
the brain’s ability to change and adapt over time
- neurons remain healthy until you die and the body preserves and generates new brain cells
- this protects the person from the decline due to aging from diseases of the brain
cognitive reserve
exceptional ental performance usually when a person has to work at max mental capacity
- first observed in cognitively impaired people who performed better than expected in everyday life
can the mind be trained for better performance?
the brain needs stimulation and challenge
- sensory-motor training can lead to significant improvement in mental function
ex. playing piano - physical activity is even better
are older people creative?
sure they are; this depends on how it’s measured defined and what not
- creativity benefits the health, life satisfaction of older adults and can be good because it leads to social engagement
life-span developmental perspective
- sees individual as continually changing from birth to death with no end point or goal
- a dialectal process: interaction of individual with society leads to varied patterns of aging
