What does the ability of older adults to improve their memory skills through training in mnemonics suggest?

The ability of older adults to improve their memory skills through training in mnemonics suggests that memory skills can indeed be enhanced through training. This indicates that cognitive functions, such as memory, are not fixed and can be cultivated regardless of age. Research supports that older adults can learn new strategies and techniques to aid their memory retention and recall, which can significantly enhance their overall cognitive performance.

The effectiveness of mnemonic devices, which are memory aids that help organize and encode information for easier retrieval, exemplifies how targeted training can yield positive results. This reinforces the idea that with the right tools and practice, individuals, even later in life, can adapt their cognitive strategies to improve memory.

In contrast, the other options do not align with the evidence of cognitive plasticity seen in older adults. The belief that memory is fixed contradicts extensive studies showing the brain's capacity for growth and adaptation throughout life. Similarly, the assertion that older adults do not benefit from memory training dismisses a body of research highlighting the positive impact of such interventions. Lastly, the claim that older adults have stronger memories than younger adults overlooks the cognitive changes typically associated with aging, which often include declines in memory performance.