Multitasking across the lifespan in different task contexts

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Psychology
• Neuroscience
• Human Development

Background:

• Multitasking performance declines with age, but the underlying mechanisms and age-specific costs remain debated.
• Previous research often fails to account for age-related differences in single-task abilities when assessing multitasking costs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate lifespan development of multitasking across a wide age range (8-82 years).
• To examine age-differences in performance costs during dual-tasking, controlling for single-task ability.
• To explore how concurrent cognitive demands affect sensorimotor control across the lifespan.

Main Methods:

• A lifespan sample (N=187) performed a visuo-spatial working memory (VSWM) task concurrently with postural control or reaction time (RT) tasks.
• Criterion-referenced testing individually adjusted VSWM task difficulty to equate single-task performance.
• Stabilogram diffusion analysis quantified postural control, and RT measured processing speed.

Main Results:

• Single-task performance showed U-shaped age trajectories, with young adults performing best.
• Multitasking generally led to performance decrements across all tasks and age groups.
• Age-differential multitasking costs were observed, particularly in reaction time tasks, suggesting age-related differences in cognitive control, and increased cognitive load on sensorimotor control in older adults.

Conclusions:

• Age-related multitasking costs are not solely due to general cognitive decline but depend on specific task combinations and cognitive control demands.
• Concurrent cognitive tasks significantly impact sensorimotor control, especially in older adults, potentially reflecting compensatory mechanisms.
• A lifespan approach is crucial for understanding the complexities of human multitasking and its age-related variations.