How list composition affects the emotional enhancement of memory in younger and older adults.

ABSTRACT: Young adults show an immediate emotional enhancement of memory (EEM) when emotional and non-emotional information are presented in mixed lists but not pure lists, but it is unclear whether older adults' memories also benefit from the cognitive factors producing the list-composition effect. The present study examined whether the list-composition effect extended to older adults (55+), testing the following alternatives: (1) younger and older adults could show the list-composition effect, (2) due to age-related decreases in cognitive resources, older adults may show weaker effects of list-composition, or (3) due to age-related positivity effects, older adults' list-composition effect may vary by valence. Results supported the first alternative: the list-composition effect occurred for older a

SUBMITTER: Garcia SM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11018718 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature