Elizabeth L. Glisky, Ph.D., Susan R. Rubin, M.A. and Patrick S. R. Davidson, M.A. researchers from the University of Arizona have found that only some people over 65 suffer greater losses in "source (contextual) memory" than in memory for facts and items. The brain's frontal lobes seem to be the culprits, but only some people suffer frontal-lobe impairment as they age. What's more, despite this age-related brain deficit, people may be able to learn to improve their source memory.
Source memory is memory for the broad contextual aspects -- perceptual, spatio-temporal, emotional, social -- surrounding an event, such as who was speaking, or whether you learned something from a book or TV. It's a more demanding mental process than remembering facts because it involves more details and decisions, even as it links these surrounding details to the item or event at their core. Says Glisky: "The better the frontal-lobe function, the better the source memory performance." Older adults with good frontal lobe function performed source-memory tasks as well as young adults.
Even when impairment in the frontal lobe exists, using some compensatory strategies to enhance the details that need to be retained can enhance memory. In one study reported in the Journal " Emotion ", colors were found to increase the likelihood of remembering words. In the study the words were surrounded with either a blue or yellow frame. Participants were instructed to associate the word with the color of the frame. They found that memory was enhanced when the word was associated with a certain color. In this study researchers felt that color or emotions attached to certain colors increased the attention of the subject thereby enhancing the probability of remembering the word.
Tips For Improving Memory
- Write Things Down
Use lists, schedules, etc. to note things you need to remember. If you make an appointment write it down on your schedule as you make it. - Put Things Back In The Same Place
Putting things back in the same place all the time will help to prevent misplacing important items. Don't be tempted to rearrange or organize a loved one's kitchen, that could be a recipe for disaster. - Repeat Information
If you need to remember a phone number or street address say it over and over out load preferably. The more you hear it the greater the chances are you will remember it. - Make Associations
If you take your medications in the morning with breakfast store them next to your breakfast cereal. - Rely On Placement to Trigger Memory
Leave your umbrella hanging on the doorknob and you will never forget to take it when it rains. - Study
Review photographs and yearbooks before important events to help trigger recollection of names etc. - Pay Attention
Give your full attention when you are given important information. Chances are you will remember much more than when you are distracted or not concentrating on the task at hand.
Above all don't be worried if you do forget things occasionally. Concentrate on these strategies and life will be full of wonderful memories.
Updated 05/10/06
Sources:of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, September 2001
