Functioning of Human Memory Schemas

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Summary of the Primary Article
Critique of the Primary Article
Conclusion
References

Introduction

Human memory is a significant aspect of healthy living, the investigation of which contributes to the understanding of the mechanisms inherent to memory-related processes. In particular, memory schemas are adaptive neurological connections between different episodes or pieces of knowledge that allow for memory functioning. In research, the issues related to memory schemas are of significant importance due to the development of neuroscience. This thought paper aims to summarize and critique a recent scholarly article on the functioning of memory schemas.

Summary of the Primary Article

The article selected for the analysis in this paper is Aghayan Golkashani et al.’s (2021) study on the integration of memory schemas in the facilitation of older patients’ memory. Since this study is based on the application of memory schemas to test their benefits for older adults, it is directly related to the topic of human memory schemas. In particular, the rationale for the study conducted by Aghayan Golkashani et al. (2021) was the lack of relevant research evidence on the opportunities for restoring the cognitive capabilities of older adults using applying schematic knowledge and memory. Consecutively, the study aimed to identify the relation between the facilitation of prior knowledge schemas and memories and the ability to form new schemas and inferences in older adults.

The research study was conducted based on the methods of the experiment. A sample of relatively healthy Chinese older adults aged 56-84 and adolescents aged 15-19 were recruited for the study (Aghayan Golkashani et al., 2021). The two groups of participants were compared in terms of memory quality. They passed through two phases of the experiment; first, they learned new schemas; second, they integrated and updated schemas (Aghayan Golkashani et al., 2021). After that, the recall of the learned information was tested, and the two groups of participants (older adults and adolescents) performances were compared. The results showed big age-related differences in the effort needed for older adults and adolescents to form strong schemas; older adults required twice as much effort as adolescents. However, another finding indicated no age-related difference in the ability to form new inferences based on the learned schemas. Thus, the study’s conclusion suggests that schema-based learning effectively facilitates memory and cognitive function in older adults.

Critique of the Primary Article

The summarized research article has introduced a new perspective on applying memory schemas to inference in older adults with age-related impairments of cognition and memory. While the authors claimed limited evidence on the topic in the current literature, the theoretical premises and practical implications of their findings might be supported by external studies. They stated in their article that “to the best of our knowledge, no study has investigated if older adults can effectively integrate novel items into a newly formed schema” (Aghayan Golkashani et al., 2021, p. 472). Such an aspect of the study is a novelty in the current literature investigating older adults’ cognition and might be characterized as a qualitatively new approach to studying aging processes.

However, other scholars have associated the overall principle of memory schema functioning with perception and data processing. In particular, according to Gilboa and Marlatte (2017), “activated schema templates modulate early perceptual processing, as they get populated with specific informational instances (schema instantiation)” (p. 618). Moreover, the application of memory schemas to cognition and memory issues in older adults demonstrated by Aghayan Golkashani et al. (2021) is consistent with the studies by Kwan et al. (2021) and Webb and Dennis (2019). These scholars also claimed that integrating memory schemas in the facilitation of older adults’ memory and cognition issues was beneficial.

On the other hand, the analyzed article does not address the neurobiological factors contributing to memory schemas’ benefits for older adults’ cognition. In this regard, the study by Aghayan Golkashani et al. (2021) might be compared to the study findings conducted by Hasan et al. (2019). Both studies investigated how memory schemas can help facilitate forming of new inferences. However, Hasan et al. (2019) were particularly focused on explaining the neurobiological processes predetermining the investigated processes by referring to the process of myelination in the brain. Overall, the analyzed article correlates with the current trends in scholarly research on memory schemas and contributes to the domain of evidence on the issue that applies to the real-world setting.

Indeed, the study findings might be beneficial for practical use in everyday life since the implications might facilitate older people’s cognitive performance. In particular, caregivers working with older adults with cognitive impairments might integrate working with memory schemas to facilitate their memory and the ability to process new data. For example, when dealing with an aging parent, individuals might assist them in daily activities using memory schemas. It might be implemented by memorizing where certain items are located so that there is no confusion daily. Another option for the real-life application of the study findings might be assistance in medication intake consistency. Since remembering to take medications consistently might be a challenge for an aging person, forming memory schemas by associating certain colors or shapes of pills with the time they need to be taken might be helpful.

When reading and reviewing the article by Aghayan Golkashani et al. (2021), I found many facts and evidence interesting. Firstly, the researchers’ successful attempt to incorporate memory and cognition issues into one theoretical framework was indicative of the application of the concept of schema to both domains. Such a perspective helped me improve my understanding of memory schemas. Secondly, the overall process of the experimentation was interesting to discover. I found it interesting that there was no difference between older adults’ and adolescents’ ability to make assumptions based on newly acquired knowledge. Thirdly, the comprehensiveness of the methodology allowed me to understand the experimental design more clearly so that I could expand my knowledge of psychological research principles. Thus, this study was beneficial for me in contributing to my base of knowledge on the topic and developing my understanding of the research process due to the strengths covered further.

The multiple benefits obtained from the study review were based on the convincing nature of the research, which is validated by the many strengths of the article. Overall, the sample selection for testing memory schemas was a strong basis for the whole research process since it allowed for eliminating bias and ensured the incorporation of multiple factors. In particular, for older participants selected for the study, their age and their age, demographic characteristics, and location of residence were considered. In combination with a meticulous selection approach for the adolescent audience participating in the research process, such a sampling approach allowed for an unbiased comparison of the implications of memory schemas. This advantage of the article is considered a convincing point since non-biased and objective findings are pivotal for evidence-based and reliable research in general and in psychology in particular.

Apart from objectivity and proper sampling, the methodological solutions contributed to my convincement. The article is characterized by an in-depth discussion of the process of the experiment, the data retrieval, and the analysis that was transparent about the process and researchers’ decisions throughout the data processing. In addition, the comparison of the two age groups seemed logical and reasonable since it was easier to distinguish between the memory and inference characteristics in opposition. Another strength of the article that enhanced my convincement was the justification of the need for comparing memory schemas of older adults and adolescents in terms of their acquisition of new schemas. The researchers reviewed previously published literature and addressed the gap to validate the overall research, methodology, and practical implications. Indeed, a significant convincing advantage of the study is its prioritization of the opportunities for practical application of the findings in older adults’ care and in future research, which is addressed further in this paper.

The study was developed based on previously conducted studies; however, it has introduced a new perspective on investigating memory schemas for older adults by testing their ability to form new inferences based on new schemas. This approach might be used to test the neurological characteristics behind such processes in future research. Such an approach might be implemented by integrating the theoretical implications of Aghayan Golkashani et al. (2021) and Hasan et al. (2019). Moreover, a quantitative study might be conducted to compare the ability to form inferences based on newly learned schemas between healthy participants and those with diagnosed cognitive disorders of the same age group. In such a manner, the evidence base contributing to understanding the functioning of memory schemas across different populations would be obtained.

Conclusion

In summary, the analysis of the primary article has demonstrated that the utilization of knowledge about memory schemas is beneficial for memory-related conditions facilitation. The study used an experimental design to identify possible age-related differences in the ability to form new memory schemas and further use them for inference. The results were consistent with other research studies found through relevant literature searches and suggested the following. Although older adults required more effort and time to learn new schemas, there was no age-related difference in the participants’ capability of forming new inferences. The study is a valuable and reliable contribution of evidence to the literature on memory schemas. It provides the basis for future research using quantitative inquiry to test differences in schemas between healthy and mentally ill older adults and to clarify the neurological processes, validating the reviewed study’s findings.

References

Aghayan Golkashani, H., Leong, R. L., Wong, K. F., & Chee, M. W. (2021). Schema-driven memory benefits boost transitive inference in older adults. Psychology and Aging, 36(4), 463-474.

Gilboa, A., & Marlatte, H. (2017). Neurobiology of schemas and schema-mediated memory. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 21(8), 618-631.

Hasan, M., Kanna, M. S., Jun, W., Ramkrishnan, A. S., Iqbal, Z., Lee, Y., & Li, Y. (2019). Schema‐like learning and memory consolidation acting through myelination. The FASEB Journal, 33(11), 11758-11775.

Kwan, Y., Choi, S., Eom, T. R., & Kim, T. H. (2021). Development of a structured interview to explore interpersonal schema of older adults living alone based on autobiographical memory. International journal of environmental research and public health, 18(5), 1-14.

Webb, C. E., & Dennis, N. A. (2019). Differentiating true and false schematic memories in older adults. The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, 74(7), 1111-1120.

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Functioning of Human Memory Schemas

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