The effects of age and uncertainty in the Stroop priming task

In this study, we tested young and older adults on a spatially separated Stroop priming task in which a neutral word in colored ink (target) randomly appeared on either side of a color word in black ink (prime). Cues that preceded the target-prime word pair either indicated the correct target location (valid), the incorrect location (invalid), or provided no information about the target location (ambiguous). Analyses of proportional response latencies and ex-Gaussian parameters of response latency distributions showed that valid advance cues reduced interference and invalid cues increased interference for both young and older adults. Ambiguous cues were also associated with high levels of interference, but interference was higher for older adults than for younger adults. These findings are consistent with a large body of research showing age-related deficits in the use of the attentional network associated with executive control. However, they also demonstrate that older adults can use the attentional network associated with spatial orienting to reduce response conflict. For instance, we observed facilitation for congruent trials after the presentation of an invalid cue, but very little facilitation for congruent trials after the presentation of an ambiguous cue. As the attentional demands in our world increase, we might use this knowledge to promote optimal functioning in older adults. Our findings challenge the notion of ubiquitous age-related declines in attention and contribute to the discussion of how attentional networks work together as demands for conflict resolution vary. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).