Interrelationships Among Everyday Memory Tests: Stability of Factor Structure with Age

Preliminary data are presented on a battery of tests that employs computer and laser-disk technology to simulate important learning and memory tasks encountered in daily life. The tests are based on different experimental paradigms and designed to assess multiple variables related to memory performance across the adult age span, This paper presents principal components analyses of the battery. These analyses yielded factors of general memory. attention. and psychomotor speed. The factors remained essentially unchanged when scores were residualized to account for differences in performance related to age. Potential clinical and research applications of the battery are discussed. including use of the procedures in studies of normal and pathologic aging. in psychopharmacology research. and in studies of closed head trauma.