Fewer Constraints Enhance the Generation Effect for Source Memory in Younger, but not Older Adults

Abstract The generation effect is the memory benefit for information that is self-generated compared to read. This effect is robust for both younger and older adults. Recent work with younger adults has shown that the generation effect for context memory (i.e., contextual details associated with an episode) can be increased when there are fewer rather than greater experimental constraints placed on what participants can generate. This increase in context memory is attributable to enhanced relational processing. Given older adults’ deficits in context memory the present study tested whether fewer generation constraints would similarly improve the generation effect for contextual details in older adults. In this study, we examined age differences in item and context (i.e., source and associative) memory across three different tasks comprising the encoding of cue-target pairs: a lower-constraint generation task (i.e., free response to cue, such as assist – ____), a higher-constraint generation task (i.e., solving an anagram, such as assist – hlpe), and a read task (i.e., simply reading the cue-target pair, such as assist – help). Both age groups showed improved item and context memory for materials studied during the generation tasks (both lower- and higher-constraint) compared to the read task. However, only younger adults showed increased source memory for lower-constraint compared to higher-constraint generation, whereas older adults showed equivalent source and associative memory for both lower- and higher-constraint generation tasks. These findings suggest both age groups benefit from self-generation, but older adults may benefit less from conditions that enhance relational processing (lower-constraint generation) in younger adults.