When you think of aging and memory, you might think it all gets worse as we get older.
Here, learn why an aging expert says that’s untrue.
This messagingthat things inevitably deteriorate as you get oldercontributes to a myth about aging and memory.
While memory can worsen over time, it doesnt necessarily have to.
Countless people believe that aging and memory have an inverse relationshipand theres some truth to that.
Some get worse, others improve, and others remain unchanged throughout life.
Becca Levy, PhD, is an aging expert as well as a professor of public health and psychology at Yale University.
According to Dr. Levy and the American Psychological Association,procedural memory stays the same as we age.
Episodic memory
Episodic memory involves recalling that something happened on a given day.
It tends to decrease as we age, says Dr. Levy.
Additionally, the APA states that episodic memory only somewhat declines over time.
Its Amazing How Its All Connected.
Semantic memory
As the term (almost) suggests, semantic memory concerns general knowledge.
According to the APA, semantic memory continues to improve for many older adults.
Metacognition
Essentially, metacognition is thinking about what youre thinking, says Dr. Levy.
There are some studies that show cognitive complexity tends to improve with later life, she adds.
Becca Levy, PhD, is an aging expert as well as a professor of public health and psychology at Yale University.
For example,this studyfound that older adults can accurately assess their ability to remember information selectively.
(Because #optimism.)
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