One conclusion from the literature on age differences in memory has been that primary memory processes are unaffected by advancing age. An exception to this generalization is the finding that material in primary memory is scanned more slowly with advancing age. Previous studies of this phenomenon, however, have yielded inconsistent results. In the present study we compared memory scanning rates of 12 young and 12 elderly subjects. There were no age differences in scanning speed or accuracy. The results support Craik's 1977 contention that primary memory processes are relatively unaffected by the aging process.
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