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Reconciling Two Computational Models of Working Memory in Aging
Author(s) -
Hoareau Violette,
Lemaire Benoît,
Portrat Sophie,
Plancher Gaën
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
topics in cognitive science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.191
H-Index - 56
eISSN - 1756-8765
pISSN - 1756-8757
DOI - 10.1111/tops.12184
Subject(s) - forgetting , working memory , psychology , cognitive psychology , confusion , set (abstract data type) , encoding (memory) , cognitive aging , developmental psychology , computer science , cognition , neuroscience , psychoanalysis , programming language
It is well known that working memory performance changes with age. Two recent computational models of working memory, TBRS * and SOB ‐ CS , developed from young adults WM performances are opposed regarding the postulated causes of forgetting, namely time‐based decay and interference for TBRS * and SOB ‐ CS , respectively. In the present study, these models are applied on a set of complex span data produced by young and older adults. As expected, these models are unable to account for the older adult data. An investigation on the effect of the main parameters of these models showed that the poorer performance of older adults does not come from a weaker encoding of item but rather from difficulties during the free time that immediately follows each distractor, as well as from a higher level of confusion between items. These results are discussed with respect to the current theories of working memory and aging.