Aging and Retention of Newly Acquired Skill: Does Performance Predict Retention of Underlying Learning?

Abstract

In this study, we evaluated age-related decay characteristics of the learning supporting skilled performance. We directly assessed the retention of performance and learning associated with skilled visual search. Ninety older (63 to 79 yrs.) and 90 younger (19 to 25 yrs.) adults received 6300 trials of consistent semantic category search. A transfer session assessed automatic process development. After either 2, 4, or 8 weeks participants returned for retention testing. At retention we evaluated trained performance, learning associated with strength of attention training (AARs), and optimal feature search. For young adults, the AAR declined but remained strong even after eight weeks of disuse. Older adults exhibited minimal automatic activation strength before and (not surprising) after the retention interval. However, when retention performance not supported by AARs was examined (learning due to the development of optimal search) age-related effects were minimized. Contrary to other learning domains, older adults' retention performance was less affected than young adults' by the interfering processing activity performed prior to the retention interval. Issues of instructional and system design are discussed as mechanisms to promote age-dependent retention of skilled performance.