Task coordination and aging: explorations of executive control processes in the task switching paradigm
Task coordination and aging: explorations of executive control processes in the task switching paradigm
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DOI：
10.1016/s0001-6918(99)00011-6
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发表时间：
1999-04-01
影响因子：
1.8
通讯作者：
Gopher, D
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Kramer, AF;Hahn, S;Gopher, D
一些认知老化的模型表明，老年人表现出不成比例的性能递减的任务，需要执行控制过程。在一系列的三项研究中，我们研究了年龄相关的差异，在执行控制过程中，更具体地说，在执行控制过程中，任务转换范式的基础性能。年轻人和老年人被呈现成排的数字，并被要求指出数字的数量（元素编号任务）或数字的值（数字值任务）是否大于或小于5。转换成本通过从任务转换后的试验中减去非转换试验中获得的反应时间来评估。得到了一些理论上有趣的结果。首先，在实践的早期就发现了转换成本与年龄有关的巨大差异。第二，也是最令人惊讶的是，在相对少量的练习之后，老年人和年轻人的转换成本是相等的。老年人在转换试验中表现出较大的实践效果。第三，在两个月的保留期内保持了年龄相当的转换成本。最后，在任务转换绩效中是否观察到年龄等效性的主要限制因素是记忆负荷。老年人无法在高记忆负荷下利用练习。这些数据进行了讨论，他们的影响一般和特定的认知老化模型的过程。(C)1999 Elsevier Science B. V.保留所有权利。PsycINFO分类：2340; 2346; 2860。
A number of models of cognitive aging suggest that older adults exhibit disproportionate performance decrements on tasks which require executive control processes. In a series of three studies we examined age-related differences in executive control processes and more specifically in the executive control processes which underlie performance in the task switching paradigm. Young and old adults were presented with rows of digits and were required to indicate whether the number of digits (element number task) or the value of the digits (digit value task) were greater than or less than five. Switch costs were assessed by subtracting the reaction times obtained on non-switch trials from trials following a task switch. Several theoretically interesting results were obtained. First, large age-related differences in switch costs were found early in practice. Second, and most surprising, after relatively modest amounts of practice old and young adults switch costs were equivalent. Older adults showed large practice effects on switch trials. Third, age-equivalent switch costs were maintained across a two month retention period. Finally, the main constraint on whether age equivalence was observed in task switching performance was memory load. Older adults were unable to capitalize on practice under high memory loads. These data are discussed in terms of their implications for both general and process specific cognitive aging models. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. PsycINFO classifications: 2340; 2346; 2860.