The Influence of Value on Item Memory and Source Memory in Younger and Older Adults

This study investigated the mechanisms by which value influences item memory, which refers to memory for the core content of an item, and source memory, which refers to memory for contextual details associated with an item, in younger and older adults. The study specifically examined whether the effect of value reflects a “benefits-only” pattern, enhancing both item and source memory simultaneously, or a “benefits and cost” pattern, enhancing item memory while impairing source memory. Furthermore, the study explored how source type—intrinsic source, characterized by low cognitive demand, versus extrinsic source, characterized by high cognitive demand—and age, younger versus older adults, modulate this effect. Two experiments were conducted using the Remember/Know paradigm to distinguish between two memory processes: recollection, the conscious retrieval of contextual details, and familiarity, a sense of recognition without access to specific contextual information.Experiment 1 investigated intrinsic source memory using the inherent color of line drawings as the context. A 2 × 2 mixed design was employed, with age, younger versus older, as a between-subjects factor and value, high versus low, as a within-subjects factor. Thirty-three younger adults and 31 older adults studied 60 colored images, comprising 30 high-value items, associated with 7–9 points, and 30 low-value items, associated with 1–3 points. Experiment 2 examined extrinsic source memory by using the border color of line drawings as the context. Twenty-nine younger adults and 28 older adults participated in a design identical to Experiment 1.