Research article summary (published 27 Feb 2007):

Age-related differences in implicit learning of subtle third-order sequential structure.

Full Abstract

Age-related implicit learning deficits increase with sequence complexity, suggesting there might be limits to the level of structure that older adults can learn implicitly. To test for such limits, we had 12 younger and 12 older adults complete an alternating serial reaction time task containing subtle structure in which every third trial follows a repeating sequence and intervening trials are determined randomly. Results revealed significant age deficits in learning. However, both groups did learn the subtle regularity without explicit awareness, indicating that older adults remain sensitive to highly complex sequential regularities in their environment, albeit to a lesser degree than younger adults.

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Author information

Author/s: Bennett, Ilana J (IJ); Howard, James H (JH); Howard, Darlene V (DV);

Affiliation: Department of Psychology, Georgetown University, 301 N. White Gravenor Building, Washington, DC 20057, USA. ijb5(-atsign-)georgetown.edu

Grants: R37 AG15450 (Agency:NIA NIH HHS)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Randomized Controlled Trial; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

Journal: The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences (J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2007-Mar; vol 62 (issue 2) : pp P98-103

Dates: Created 2007/03/23; Completed 2007/04/30; Revised 2007/12/03;

PMID: 17379678, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adult Age Factors Aged Analysis of Variance Female Humans

Humans Male Psychomotor Performance - physiology Reaction Time - physiology Serial Learning - physiology Task Performance and Analysis

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