Teles Mariana, Moore Isabelle, Kenett Yoed N
Department of Psychology, University of Virginia.
Department of Industrial Engineering and Management, Israel Institute of Technology (Technion).
Can J Exp Psychol. 2025 Mar;79(1):109-123. doi: 10.1037/cep0000332. Epub 2024 Jul 25.
This study investigated the impact of age on semantic memory networks and retrieval dynamics using a single-list free recall paradigm, involving 318 participants. The younger group, with 175 participants aged 25-55 years ( = 46.68 years; = 10.69), and the older group, consisting of 143 participants aged 61-88 years ( = 68.71 years; = 6.09), completed a word recall test to assess delayed recall performance. Semantic memory networks were constructed from recall data by analyzing the co-occurrence and sequence of recalled words. We observed significant differences in network structure, where the older group displayed higher average shortest path length and modularity values, indicative of less integrated networks, while the younger group exhibited a higher clustering coefficient, suggesting a more interconnected network. In terms of retrieval dynamics, both groups showed a temporal contiguity effect with forward asymmetry. However, this effect was less pronounced in older adults. The study also identified participants that diverted from the average dynamic curves: one subgroup relied on nontemporal mechanisms, and the other employed a backward direction in memory search. Participants utilizing forward temporal associations demonstrated the highest recall performance. Overall, our findings suggest that lower free recall performance in older adults may be related to a diminished capacity to reinstate temporal context for retrieval and distinct differences in their semantic memory network structure. Specifically, older adults appear to exhibit networks with a less flexible, small-world-like structure. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).
本研究采用单列表自由回忆范式，对318名参与者进行了年龄对语义记忆网络和检索动态的影响调查。较年轻组有175名年龄在25 - 55岁之间的参与者（平均年龄 = 46.68岁；标准差 = 10.69），较年长组由143名年龄在61 - 88岁之间的参与者组成（平均年龄 = 68.71岁；标准差 = 6.09），他们完成了一项单词回忆测试以评估延迟回忆表现。通过分析回忆单词的共现和顺序，从回忆数据构建语义记忆网络。我们观察到网络结构存在显著差异，较年长组显示出更高的平均最短路径长度和模块化值，表明网络整合程度较低，而较年轻组表现出更高的聚类系数，表明网络联系更紧密。在检索动态方面，两组均表现出具有向前不对称性的时间邻近效应。然而，这种效应在老年人中不太明显。该研究还识别出偏离平均动态曲线的参与者：一个亚组依赖非时间机制，另一个亚组在记忆搜索中采用向后方向。利用向前时间关联的参与者表现出最高的回忆表现。总体而言，我们的研究结果表明，老年人较低的自由回忆表现可能与恢复检索时间背景的能力下降以及他们语义记忆网络结构的明显差异有关。具体而言，老年人似乎表现出具有较不灵活的小世界样结构的网络。（PsycInfo数据库记录（c）2025美国心理学会，保留所有权利）
