Retrieval of performed versus to-be-performed tasks: A naturalistic study of the intention-superiority effect in normal aging and dementia

Maylor et al. (in press a) reported a long-term intention-superiority effec t whereby young adults reported significantly more to-be-performed than per formed tasks in a speeded written fluency task. Two experiments investigate d whether this effect is also present in older adults and dementia patients . In Experiment 1, middle-aged (n = 40) and older adults (n = 44) were give n a minute to recall what they did in the last few days (performed tasks), and a minute to recall what they intended to do in the next few days (to-be -performed tasks). Then was no intention-superiority effect for the middle- aged adults but there was a significant intention-inferiority effect for th e older adults. Verbal rather than written recall was used in Experiment 2 to compare young adults (n = 30), older adults (n = 19), and patients with Alzheimer's disease (n = 22). There was an intention-superiority effect for young adults, but not for older adults or dementia patients. The absence o f an intention-superiority effect may contribute to the decline in prospect ive memory performance seen in both normal aging and dementia. Copyright (C ) 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.