AGING AND THE IMPLICIT LEARNING OF SEQUENTIAL PATTERNS

本文提出的五个系列研究的长期目标是描述环境中结构规律内隐学习中与年龄相关的差异和相似性。通过使用交替序列（视觉-空间）运动反应任务，其中模式试验与随机试验交替进行，研究者将检验以下假设：当比较年轻人（18-25岁）和老年人（65岁及以上）的表现时，会发生以下情况：(1)与年龄相关的缺陷将出现在内隐序列学习中，包括学习的速度和幅度、学习的结构水平、在没有刺激的情况下使用这些知识的程度以及可言语表达的程度（陈述性知识）方面的下降；(2)交替序列反应时间任务将导致无意识学习，至少部分无意识学习；(3)内隐序列模式学习中与年龄相关的缺陷部分是由于与年龄相关的加工缺陷的减少，如工作记忆中可以同时持有的项目的数量和速度的减慢，这些年龄缺陷可以通过控制作为输入的事件的数量在连接主义建模网络中模拟。

The proposed five series of studies have the long-term aim of characterizing age-related differences and similarities in the implicit learning of structural regularities in the environment. By using an alternating serial (visual- spatial) motor response task, where pattern trials alternate with random trials, the investigators will test the hypotheses that when comparing performance of young (18-25 years) and old (65 years and older) the following will occur: (1) age-related deficits will appear in implicit sequence learning, including decreases in the rate and magnitude of learning, in the level of structure that is learned, in the extent to which this knowledge can be used in the absence of stimuli, and in the extent to which it is verbalizable (declarative knowledge); (2) the Alternating Serial Response Time Task will result in unintentional learning, at least partially outside of awareness; (3) the age-related deficits in implicit serial pattern learning will be due in part to age- related decreases in processing deficits, such as slowing and the number of items that can be held simultaneously in working memory and that these age deficits can be simulated in a connectionist modeling network by manipulating the number of events used as input.