scholarly journals Age Effects in Sequence-Construction for a Continuous Cognitive Task: Similar Sequence-Trends but Fewer Switch-Points

2018 ◽  
Vol 75 (4) ◽  
pp. 762-771 ◽  
Author(s):  
Corinna E Löckenhoff ◽  
Joshua L Rutt ◽  
Gregory R Samanez-Larkin ◽  
Casey Gallagher ◽  
Ted O’Donoghue ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Age Differences ◽  
Task Difficulty ◽  
Time Perspective ◽  
General Trend ◽  
Cognitive Task ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Similar Sequence ◽  
Younger Adults ◽  
And Task

Abstract Objectives Many real-life settings require decision makers to sort a predetermined set of outcomes or activities into a preferred sequence and people vary in whether they prefer to tackle the most challenging aspects first, leave them for the last, or intersperse them with less challenging outcomes. Prior research on age differences in sequence-preferences has focused on discrete and hypothetical events. The present study expands this work by examining sequence-preferences for a realistic, continuous, sustained, and cognitively challenging task. Methods Participants (N = 121, aged 21–86) were asked to complete 10 min of a difficult cognitive task (2-back), 10 min of an easy cognitive task (1-back), and 10 min of rest over the course of a 30-min interval. They could complete the tasks in any order and switch tasks as often as they wished and they were rewarded for correct performance. Additional measures included affective and physiological responses, task accuracy, time-perspective, and demographics. Results The majority of participants constructed sequences with decreasing task difficulty. Preferences for the general trend of the sequence were not significantly related to age, but the number of switches among the tasks decreased with age, and task-switching tended to incur greater accuracy decrements among older as compared to younger adults. Discussion We address potential methodological concerns, discuss theoretical implications, and consider potential real-life applications.

scholarly journals The Influence of Verbatim Versus Gist Formatting on Younger and Older Adults’ Information Acquisition

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 557-557
Author(s):  
Julia Nolte ◽  
Corinna Loeckenhoff ◽  
Valerie Reyna
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Age Differences ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Information Acquisition ◽  
Search Task ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Younger Adults ◽  
Trace Theory ◽  
Fuzzy Trace Theory

Abstract It is well-established that pre-decisional information seeking decreases with age (Mata & Nunes, 2010). However, it is still unknown whether age differences in information acquisition are influenced by the type of information provided. Fuzzy-trace theory suggests that decision makers prefer gist-based over verbatim-based processing, and that this preference increases across the lifespan. Therefore, we hypothesized that age differences arise when presenting participants with verbatim details (such as exact numbers) but not gist information (such as ”extremely poor” or “good”). In a lab-based experiment, 68 younger adults and 66 older adults completed a gist-based and a verbatim-based search task before making health insurance choices. Younger and older adults reviewed similar amounts of information in either condition. In line with Fuzzy-trace theory, however, older adults sought more information when presented with gist rather than verbatim information. The role of age-associated covariates and implications for decision-making will be discussed.

Age Differences in Judgements of Vehicle Velocity and Distance

1987 ◽  
Vol 31 (5) ◽  
pp. 558-561 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles T. Scialfa ◽  
Brian J. Lyman ◽  
Donald W. Kline ◽  
William Kosnik
Keyword(s):  
Older Women ◽  
Age Differences ◽  
Distance Perception ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Younger Adults ◽  
Vehicle Velocity ◽  
Older Males

The purpose of this study was to determine if older adults have more difficulty than younger adults in judging either the distance or speed of approaching vehicles. Eighteen elderly and 27 younger adults made judgements of the speed and distance of a video-taped automobile. Velocity judgements were made of 5 s segments of the car moving at 20, 30, 40, 50, and 60 mph. Distance judgements were based on 5 static sequences of the same test vehicle at 190, 235, 300, 360, and 480 ft. It was found that older women gave significantly higher estimates of car velocity than did younger ones. Older males also gave disproportionately high estimates of the car's distance. To the extent that these simulation data can be generalized to real-life settings, they suggest that older drivers and pedestrians (particularly older males) would view it as relatively safer than younger drivers to enter or cross the lane of an approaching car. Future research might be directed to a determination of age differences in distance perception under three-dimensional viewing conditions.

Diurnal effects of illuminance on performance: Exploring the moderating role of cognitive domain and task difficulty

2021 ◽  
pp. 147715352199064
Author(s):  
T Ru ◽  
KCHJ Smolders ◽  
Q Chen ◽  
G Zhou ◽  
YAW de Kort
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Sustained Attention ◽  
Response Inhibition ◽  
Task Difficulty ◽  
Cognitive Task ◽  
Negative Mood ◽  
Cognitive Domain ◽  
Conflict Monitoring ◽  
Subjective Sleepiness ◽  
And Task

Literature has occasionally reported acute effects of office illuminance on cognitive performance during daytime. The current study was conducted to systematically investigate whether the type of task and level of task difficulty moderate the effect of daytime illuminance on cognitive functioning. Thirty healthy participants were assigned to high (∼1036 lux at eye level; melanopic EDI = 904 lux) vs. low (∼108 lux at eye level, melanopic EDI = 87 lux) illuminance (at 6500 K) during working hours, in which participants were tested on both easy and difficult versions of tasks probing sustained attention, response inhibition, conflict monitoring and working memory. Subjective sleepiness and mood were also measured. Results revealed that exposure to high vs. low illuminance significantly improved speed on the response inhibition task, and accuracy and speed on the working memory tasks. Moreover, when effects arose, these were moderated by task difficulty, consistently showing more pronounced effects for easy than for difficult trials. Notably, subjective sleepiness and negative mood remained unaffected by illuminance, and no statistically significant effects emerged for sustained attention and conflict monitoring. This study demonstrates that the diurnal cognitive effects of illuminance may be moderated by both types of cognitive task and task difficulty.

scholarly journals Age Group Differences in Response to Repeated Exposure to Laboratory Stress Tasks

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 772-772
Author(s):  
James Miller ◽  
Gloria Luong
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Negative Affect ◽  
Task Difficulty ◽  
Repeated Exposure ◽  
Group Differences ◽  
Age Group ◽  
Younger Adults ◽  
Affective Experiences ◽  
Affect Reactivity ◽  
And Task

Abstract Research examining age differences in affect reactivity (i.e. how much affective experiences change in response to stressors) has produced mixed results, suggesting that there are areas of relative strength and weakness in regulatory processes across age-groups. The present study’s goals were to examine potential age-group differences in affect reactivity and subjective task-appraisals across repeated exposures to a psychosocial laboratory stressor. In the Health and Daily Experiences (HEADE) study, younger (18-35 years old; n=107) and older adults (60-90 years old; n=90) were exposed to the Trier Social Stress Test on three occasions in a laboratory setting over a five-day period. Current affective experiences and task-appraisals were assessed at each session using validated self-report scales, with current affective experiences measured at baseline and task periods to determine affect reactivity. Repeated measures ANOVA analyses were conducted to examine age-group differences in affect reactivity and task-appraisals across sessions. In support of our hypotheses, younger adults showed greater reductions in their negative affect reactivity over time compared to older adults [F(2, 390)= 8.18, p<.001]. Additionally, younger adults’ appraisals of task-difficulty decreased [F(2, 384)= 14.79, p<.001] and appraisals of task-performance increased [F(2,384)= 13.39, p<.001] across sessions, while older adults’ task-appraisals remained stable. Age-group differences in negative affect reactivity and task-difficulty appraisals were not evident for the first session and only emerged after repeated exposure to the stressors. These results highlight the importance of identifying age-related vulnerabilities in adapting to repeated stressors, with implications for designing effective interventions aimed at improving health and well-being for older adults.

Task Performance and Electromyopotential as Functions of Task Difficulty and EMG Feedback

1986 ◽  
Vol 62 (2) ◽  
pp. 555-562
Author(s):  
Roy E. Connally ◽  
John N. Dieter ◽  
Kevin Uliano
Keyword(s):  
Task Performance ◽  
Task Difficulty ◽  
Cognitive Task ◽  
Training Session ◽  
Memory Task ◽  
Iconic Memory ◽  
Biofeedback Training ◽  
Audio Feedback ◽  
Cognitive Task Performance ◽  
And Task

The dearth of empirical research in the application of biofeedback is discussed. Exp. 1 assessed relationships among biofeedback EMG training, EMG levels, cognitive task performance, and task difficulty. 72 subjects (male or female college students) were administered 1 trial on an iconic memory task with either EMG audio feedback, sham EMG audio feedback, or no feedback. Three levels of task difficulty were used. One 20-min. training session significantly lowered EMG responses, and task performance was inversely related to task difficulty. No relationship between EMG level and task performance was observed. Exp. 2 investigated the effect of increased EMG responses on cognitive task performance for one level of difficulty. One biofeedback training session did not significantly increase frontalis EMG, and there was no relationship between increased EMG and task performance.

Age Differences in Memory-Based Task Switching With and Without Cues

2014 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 187-201 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sergei A. Schapkin ◽  
Patrick D. Gajewski ◽  
Gabriele Freude
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Working Memory ◽  
Age Differences ◽  
Task Switching ◽  
Response Selection ◽  
Younger Adults ◽  
Switch Costs ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Mixing Costs ◽  
And Task

The study investigated the neuronal mechanisms of age-related changes in mixing costs during memory-based task switching with two levels of working memory (WM) load. Forty-eight healthy younger and 45 healthy older participants performed a memory based (high WM load) and a memory plus cue based (low WM load) switching task while event-related brain potentials (ERPs) were registered. Older adults revealed larger mixing costs in both reaction time (RT) and accuracy at higher WM loads than younger adults. The presence of explicit cues substantially reduced age differences in mixing costs for accuracy but not for RT. Similarly, no age differences regarding local switch costs were found at lower WM load. Surprisingly, larger RT local costs in younger adults than in older adults were found in the memory-based block. The CNV was reduced under high WM load and positively correlated with accuracy mixing costs in older adults. The target-locked occipital N1 and fronto-central P2 were larger in older adults relative to younger adults irrespective of WM load. The P2 latency reflected the pattern of switch costs observed in behavioral data. Moreover, P2 latency positively correlated with RT mixing costs in older adults. Elderly also showed a delayed N2 and a delayed and reduced P3b. The results suggest that age-related differences in mixing costs may be partially due to a less efficient task preparation and task set maintenance (CNV) in elderly. However, elderly attempted to compensate for these deficits by permanent activation of mechanisms relating to stimulus encoding (N1) and task-set retrieval (P2). Finally, the delayed fronto-central N2 as well as the delayed and reduced parietal P3b strongly suggest delays of response selection and working memory updating in elderly due to an increase in selection threshold or in response selection variability constituting the performance decline.

scholarly journals AGING, TASK DIFFICULTY, AND EFFORT: A META-ANALYSIS

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S705-S705
Author(s):  
Ryan Best ◽  
Laure Freydefont ◽  
Alexandra M Freund
Keyword(s):  
Age Differences ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Task Difficulty ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Cognitive Engagement ◽  
Task Demands ◽  
Effect Sizes ◽  
Moderator Variable ◽  
Younger Adults ◽  
Measurement Domain

Abstract Tasks of increasing difficulty require increasing levels of cognitive engagement from participants. The costs associated with cognitive engagement rise with age in response to normative cognitive decline. Additionally, previous studies have shown an interaction between age and task difficulty, with age differences in effort expenditure increasing along with task demands. Motivational accounts of effort allocation predict the opposite relationship, where increased task difficulty in the face of declining cognitive abilities result in disengagement among older adults, comparatively lowering their effort expenditure relative to younger adults that remain committed to the task. The current study quantitatively reviews the available literature on age and effort expenditure across tasks of increasing difficulty. An initial meta-analysis found no age differences in effort across task difficulty, but inspection of the significantly heterogeneous effect sizes indicated that measurement domain might account for some of the variance found between the effect sizes. A second, post-hoc meta-analysis was conducted, recoding effect sizes giving preference to subjective measures. Subsequent moderator variable analyses found that the combined effect of age and domain of effort measurement explained a sufficient portion of the variance across effect sizes. When using physiological measures, effort was not found to differ across task difficulty for either age group. Alternatively, when measured subjectively, effort was reported to greatly increase (>1 standard deviation) with difficulty, with a larger increase in younger adults. Results are discussed in terms of effort mobilization across adulthood and the importance of measurement domain in the interpretation of results.

scholarly journals Age Differences in Engagement in Hong Kong Anti-Extradition Bill Protest: The Role of Self-Relevance

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 340-340
Author(s):  
Tze Kiu Wong ◽  
Dwight C K Tse ◽  
Nicole Long Ki Fung ◽  
Helene Fung
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Hong Kong ◽  
Social Movement ◽  
Age Differences ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Age Difference ◽  
Younger Adults ◽  
Perceived Relevance ◽  
Political Actions

Abstract Older adults were found to be less involved in non-institutional political actions than younger people did, and our previous work found that self-relevance mediated this age difference. In this study, we attempted to replicate the finding in a real-life social movement. We recruited 1037 participants (aged 18-84) during the anti-extradition bill movement in Hong Kong in September 2019. They responded to questions of how relevant and important the movement was to them, and whether they had taken part in a list of 8 political actions (e.g. signing petitions, joining rallies). Older adults indeed participated less in the movement compared with younger adults, and the age difference could partly be attributed to a lower perceived relevance of the movement. The finding suggested emphasizing on self-relevance as a potential way to promote political participation in older adults.

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