Retrieval induced forgetting in normal aging

The retrieval-induced forgetting (RIF) paradigm was used to assess the integrity of unintentional inhibitory functioning in normal aging. The paradigm was adapted to explore the RIF effect under conditions that allow us to differentiate the contribution of intentional and automatic retrieval processes to performance. The results showed the presence of equivalent and significant RIF effects in young and older adults, for both the controlled and automatic retrieval performance. These results suggest that unintentional inhibitory processes are spared in normal aging, and confirm that RIF effect is independent of the kind of memory processes needed to perform the task.