Final answer:
Older adults generally perform worse on tasks involving retrospective memory due to the natural cognitive decline associated with aging, such as slower information processing and memory. Lifestyle factors, however, can influence the extent of decline, and mental and physical activities may help delay its onset.
Step-by-step explanation:
Older adults usually perform worse than younger adults on tasks involving retrospective memory. This can be attributed to a number of neurological and cognitive changes associated with aging, such as the degeneration of corticosteroid connections, which was demonstrated in a study by Forstmann et al. (2011), comparatively slowing down the cognitive processes in the elderly. The degradation of these connections leads to increased errors and slower responses when older adults are required to process information or recall past events, which are key aspects of retrospective memory.
It is important to note that while fluid intelligence, encompassing abilities like reasoning and memory, tends to decline with age, crystallized intelligence, which covers knowledge and skills accumulated over the lifetime, may remain stable or even improve. However, diseases like Alzheimer's can exacerbate the decline in cognitive abilities by causing cell death and severe memory impairment. Moreover, engaging in mental and physical activities can help to delay the onset of cognitive decline, suggesting that lifestyle factors can influence the extent of memory and cognitive changes in older adults.
Tests like the three-word recall and asking patients to recite months or numbers in reverse are commonly used to assess memory function and can highlight the variations in memory proficiency between younger and older adults.