Effect of Age on Utilization of Prior and Subsequent Context in Expectancy Restoration

Abstract

30 Ss ranging in age from six to seventy-two years were exposed to series of alternately high and low frequency tones. The tones were 500 Hz for a low tone and 4,000 Hz for a high tone, varying in duration from 300 to 700 msec. In each series a low tone was “buzzed” out with FM interference, Ss being requested to estimate on the basis of the alternating tones either prior to or subsequent to the buzzed out tone, what that tone should have been. The dependent variable was the number of correct responses over ten trials, utilizing prior or subsequent context. Three groups of 10 Ss each, aged 6 to 16 yr., 19 to 45 yr., and 46 to 72 yr., were employed. Results showed significant differences between the age groups in their utilization of information from prior and subsequent contexts. Prior to middle-age Ss obtained better performance scores employing a prior context condition than a subsequent context condition. For Ss past middle-age, performance utilizing the subsequent context was significantly better. The middle-aged group used both prior and subsequent contexts with approximately equal frequency. Suggestions for future research were presented.