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Interplay of aging and practice in conflict processing: A big-data diffusion-model analysis.
Paul Kelber1, Victor Mittelstädt1, Rolf Ulrich1
1Department of Psychology, University of Tubingen.
Psychology and Aging
|September 19, 2024
Summary
Cognitive control, essential for filtering information, shows complex changes with age and practice. Aging slows processing, while practice speeds it up, impacting both automatic and controlled cognitive functions.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive psychology
- Neuroscience
- Human development
Background:
- Cognitive control is crucial for managing relevant versus irrelevant information.
- Previous research on age-related cognitive control changes and practice effects yields inconsistent results.
- Understanding the impact of aging and practice on automatic and controlled processing in conflict tasks is limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the influence of aging and practice on cognitive control at a process level.
- To analyze extensive data using process models for conflict tasks.
- To elucidate the interplay between aging, practice, and the underlying mechanisms of cognitive control.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of a large dataset (1,800 participants, ages 21-80).
- Utilized an arrow-based Eriksen flanker task administered over 60 blocks of online games.
- Applied the diffusion model for conflict tasks to analyze response time distributions and error rates.
Main Results:
- The congruency effect in response times increased with age and decreased with practice after an initial rise.
- The diffusion model accurately fitted response time and error data, revealing dynamic processing.
- Aging slowed controlled and automatic processing, while practice selectively accelerated controlled processing.
Conclusions:
- Aging and practice primarily modulate the speed of controlled and automatic cognitive processes.
- These effects suggest alterations in processing speed rather than changes in the inhibitory strength of automatic processes.
- Findings provide a nuanced understanding of how cognitive control evolves across the adult lifespan with experience.
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