Dg. Morrow et al., Older and younger adult memory for health appointment information: Implications for automated telephone messaging design, J EXP PSY-A, 4(4), 1998, pp. 352-374
The authors examined how the organization and presentation modality of auto
mated telephone messages influence older and younger adult memory for appoi
ntment information. Older and younger adults organized appointment informat
ion in similar ways, suggesting that they share a schema for attending appo
intments (Experiment 1). Older and younger adults' memories for messages im
proved when these messages were compatible with this schema. Longer message
s were remembered less accurately than shorter messages (Experiment 2). Sch
ema-compatible organization and length had similar effects on memory for pr
inted versus spoken messages (Experiment 3). Thus, messages organized in te
rms of what clients know about appointments may enhance the impact of autom
ated messaging systems on older and younger adults' appointment attendances
.