Changes in executive control across the life span: Examination of task-switching performance
Changes in executive control across the life span: Examination of task-switching performance
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DOI：
10.1037/0012-1649.37.5.715
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发表时间：
2001-09-01
影响因子：
4
通讯作者：
de Sather, JCMG
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Cepeda, NJ;Kramer, AF;de Sather, JCMG
进行了一项研究，以检查在整个生命周期内执行控制过程的变化。更具体地说，检查了负责制备和干扰控制的过程的变化，这些过程是在两个不同任务之间灵活交替的能力的基础。该研究的个人（n = 152）年龄从7至82岁不等。开关成本获得了U形功能（即，与重复任务基线相比，在任务之间切换所需的时间），对于幼儿和老年人而言，成本更高。通过练习降低了开关成本，尤其是对于儿童而言。所有年龄段的人都受益于增加的准备时间，并且观察到儿童和老年人的益处更大。当对一项任务的反应与提示之间的间隔表明下一个任务之间的间隔相比，成年人比儿童更大程度地受益，这表明与儿童相比，成人旧任务的干扰速度更快。一系列分层分析表明，任务转换性能的年龄相关差异至少部分是从其他认知过程（例如感知速度和工作记忆）中与年龄相关的差异的独立性。根据整个生命周期的执行控制过程的发展和下降，讨论了结果。
A study was conducted to examine changes in executive control processes over the life span. More specifically, changes in processes responsible for preparation and interference control that underlie the ability to flexibly alternate between two different tasks were examined. Individuals (N=152) ranging in age from 7 to 82 years participated in the study. A U-shaped function was obtained for switch costs (i.e., the time required to switch between tasks compared with a repeated-task baseline), with larger costs found for young children and older adults. Switch costs were reduced with practice, particularly for children. All age groups benefited from increased preparation time, with larger benefits observed for children and older adults. Adults benefited to a greater extent than children when the interval between the response to one task and the cue indicating which task to perform next was lengthened, which suggested faster decay of interference from the old task set for adults than for children. A series of hierarchical analyses indicated that the age-related variance in task-switching performance is independent, at least in part, from the age-related variance in other cognitive processes such as perceptual speed and working memory. The results are discussed in terms of the development and decline of executive control processes across the life span.