STATE-DEPENDENT LEARNING IN OLDER AND YOUNGER ADULTS

In this study state-dependent learning in younger and older adults was compared. State was manipulated by having participants rest or exerci se for 5 min, followed by exposure to 3 learning trials of a 20-item w ord list. After a 20-min delay, participants engaged either in the con gruent or in the incongruent activity followed by free-recall trial, c ued-recall, and recognition tests. Heart rate, blood pressure, and sel f-report of distress measures verified that the experimental condition s influenced the participants' physiologic state, but the distracter t asks did not. There was no difference in learning that was due to init ial exercise condition, but both age groups showed greater recall when state was congruent before learning and delayed recall. This replicat es previous research in which consistent state-dependent learning effe cts in younger adults were found and supports research suggesting that older adults spontaneously use contextual information to facilitate r ecall. The demonstration of state-dependent learning in older adults i s discussed as an example of implicit memory not affected by aging.