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Age-related decrement in auditory selective attention.
1National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, Maryland 21224.
Psychology and Aging
|December 1, 1990
Summary
Older adults show increased difficulty with selective attention, a key cognitive skill. This age-related decline in auditory attention persists even when controlling for hearing and intelligence factors.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Aging Research
Background:
- Auditory selective attention is crucial for understanding speech in noisy environments.
- Previous research suggests age-related declines in cognitive functions, including attention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate age-related changes in auditory selective attention.
- To determine if deficits in older adults are linked to hearing loss or general cognitive ability.
Main Methods:
- Participants (young, middle-aged, old adults) performed a dichotic shadowing task at 60 words per minute.
- Error rates were analyzed, controlling for monaural shadowing errors, fluid intelligence, and pure-tone hearing loss.
Main Results:
- Dichotic shadowing error rate significantly increased with advancing age.
- Age-related increases in errors persisted even after accounting for hearing and intelligence.
- Selective attention deficits were evident in older adults independent of target location uncertainty.
Conclusions:
- Auditory selective attention declines with age.
- This decline is not fully explained by sensory or general cognitive factors.
- Older adults experience specific deficits in processing attended auditory information.