Schema-Driven Memory Benefits Boost Transitive Inference In Older Adults

Age-related cognitive deficits may be diminished by tapping into prior knowledge structures. We investigated age-related differences in the formation and updating of schemas and examined whether the memory benefits of recently acquired schemas would be preserved in older adults. Data were collected from 60 older adults (M = 66.2, SD = 9.3 years) and 59 adolescents recruited from Singapore's top schools (M = 16.6, SD = 0.9 years) who learnt the age hierarchy of six galaxies to criterion by viewing neighboring pairs one at a time, for example A-B, D-E, C-D, enabling the formation of a schema via transitive inference (i.e., if B > C and C > D then B > D). Once learning reached criterion, two new sets of galaxies were presented: one comprising four galaxies from the schema intercalated with four new galaxies (schema condition) and the other comprising eight unfamiliar galaxies (no schema condition). Participants were then tested on both neighboring pairs (noninference) and inference pairs: (B-D, B-E, C-E). Compared with adolescents, older adults required a significantly higher number of learning blocks to successfully form a schema. Nonetheless, the acquired schema significantly aided relational memory and facilitated the 4 making of novel inferences in older adults. This schema benefit was particularly pronounced in supporting novel inferences, boosting performance in older adults to levels comparable with adolescents (59% vs. 61%). These results suggest that older adults can effectively form new schemas with extended practice. Schema-driven memory benefits are preserved with aging and appear to mitigate age-related memory deficits, optimizing cognitive performance in making novel inferences.