Katie and team found that older adults’ reduced specificity might be a laboratory specific outcome, as older adults are not less specific in sharing memories in natural, daily conversations.

Dr. Hennessy and team discovered that older adults have more stable self-representations relative to young adults, an outcome that might have benefits for well-being and memory retrieval.

Using a smartphone application called MindWindow, lab collaborator, Vannia Puig Rivera, led a recent report showing that older adults report highly vivid and specific autobiographical thoughts in daily life.