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Transparent Meta-Analysis of Prospective Memory and Aging

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  • Bob Uttl

Abstract

Prospective memory (ProM) refers to our ability to become aware of a previously formed plan at the right time and place. After two decades of research on prospective memory and aging, narrative reviews and summaries have arrived at widely different conclusions. One view is that prospective memory shows large age declines, larger than age declines on retrospective memory (RetM). Another view is that prospective memory is an exception to age declines and remains invariant across the adult lifespan. The present meta-analysis of over twenty years of research settles this controversy. It shows that prospective memory declines with aging and that the magnitude of age decline varies by prospective memory subdomain (vigilance, prospective memory proper, habitual prospective memory) as well as test setting (laboratory, natural). Moreover, this meta-analysis demonstrates that previous claims of no age declines in prospective memory are artifacts of methodological and conceptual issues afflicting prior research including widespread ceiling effects, low statistical power, age confounds, and failure to distinguish between various subdomains of prospective memory (e.g., vigilance and prospective memory proper).

Suggested Citation

  • Bob Uttl, 2008. "Transparent Meta-Analysis of Prospective Memory and Aging," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 3(2), pages 1-28, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0001568
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0001568
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    Cited by:

    1. Joana S. Lourenço & Elizabeth A. Maylor, 2015. "When Distraction Holds Relevance: A Prospective Memory Benefit for Older Adults," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-19, June.
    2. Bob Uttl, 2011. "Transparent Meta-Analysis: Does Aging Spare Prospective Memory with Focal vs. Non-Focal Cues?," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 6(2), pages 1-19, February.
    3. Lorenzo Tonetti & Miranda Occhionero & Michele Boreggiani & Andreas Conca & Paola Dondi & Maxime Elbaz & Marco Fabbri & Caroline Gauriau & Giancarlo Giupponi & Damien Leger & Monica Martoni & Chiara R, 2020. "Sleep and Prospective Memory: A Retrospective Study in Different Clinical Populations," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(17), pages 1-13, August.

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