Memory dynamics and decision making in younger and older adults

  1. Mª Teresa Lechuga 1
  2. Carlos J. Gómez-Ariza 2
  3. Sergio Iglesias-Parro 1
  4. Santiago Pelegrina 1
  1. 1 University of Jaén, Spain
  2. 2 University of Jaén, Departamento de Psicología, Spain
Revista:
Psicológica: Revista de metodología y psicología experimental

ISSN: 1576-8597

Año de publicación: 2012

Volumen: 33

Número: 2

Páginas: 257-274

Tipo: Artículo

Otras publicaciones en: Psicológica: Revista de metodología y psicología experimental

Resumen

El objetivo principal de esta investigación fue estudiar si los cambios en accesibilidad de la información en la memoria influyen en las elecciones de las personas mayores de la misma forma que en los jóvenes. Para ello, adaptamos el paradigma de práctica en la recuperación para producir variaciones en la accesibilidad de la información en la memoria sobre la que posteriormente se tomaban decisiones. Basándonos en resultados previos, esperábamos obtener olvido inducido por la recuperación (OIR) y sesgo en la elección en los participantes jóvenes y en los mayores después de haber realizado práctica en la recuperación de algunos de los atributos estudiados sobre una alternativa de elección. Además, comparamos la ejecución de ambos grupos de edad en una condición experimental en la que la práctica en la recuperación fue reemplazada por práctica en lectura de los mismos atributos. Los resultados demostraron que aunque los dos grupos de edad mostraban OIR después de realizar la práctica en la recuperación, el sesgo en la decisión sólo se observaba en los participantes jóvenes. Curiosamente, ni los mayores ni los jóvenes mostraron olvido ni sesgo en la elección en la condición de práctica en lectura. Estos resultados amplían los encontrados previamente y sugieren que, bajo ciertas circunstancias, las personas mayores pueden tomar mejores decisiones que las más jóvenes.

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