Encoding and Media Effects on Consumer Learning Deficiencies in the Elderly

Alternative cognitive explanations of memory deficiencies in the elderly suggest certain conditions in which elderly might be expected to learn less than younger adults in a consumer information processing context. The authors investigated these conditions using the levels-of-processing framework for the study of memory. The results indicate greater difficulties on the part of the elderly in deeply processing information from print media and in realizing the learning benefits of television. These findings suggest that marketers face unique problems in reaching this increasingly attractive market segment.