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The impact of perceived human and computer interaction on collaborative learning: insights from the Map Task
Catherine J Crompton1,2,3, Kelly Wolfe1, Alisdair Tullo1
1Human Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, 7 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9JZ , UK.
Cognitive Processing
|May 27, 2026
Summary
Older adults recalled information more accurately when they believed it came from a human partner versus a computer. This highlights the importance of perceived agency in collaborative learning systems for seniors.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Human-Computer Interaction
- Gerontology
Background:
- Collaborative learning offers benefits for older adults, but research often focuses on human-human interaction.
- The impact of human-computer collaboration on older adult learning, particularly regarding perceived agency, is understudied.
- Previous studies suggest older adults perform better with perceived human partners than computers on certain tasks.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of perceived agency on collaborative learning performance in older adults using a spatial navigation task.
- To compare older adults' performance and engagement when collaborating with a perceived human versus a computer assistant.
- To explore how perceptions of information source influence recall accuracy in older adult collaborative learning.
Main Methods:
- Employed a Wizard-of-Oz paradigm where older adults (66-79 years) interacted with a system they believed was either a human or a computer.
- Utilized an adapted Map Task, a measure of spatial cognition requiring collaborative route reproduction through conversation.
- Assessed performance based on recall accuracy and participant engagement with their partner.
Main Results:
- Participants showed similar engagement levels with both perceived human and computer partners.
- Recall accuracy was significantly higher when information was provided by the perceived human partner compared to the computer.
- Negative perceptions of computer-provided information may have contributed to the observed differences in recall.
Conclusions:
- Perceived agency plays a crucial role in collaborative learning outcomes for older adults, impacting information recall.
- Findings suggest that the design of voice-based learning systems for older users should consider strategies to enhance trust and positive perceptions of the system.
- Future research should validate these findings in larger, diverse samples of older adults to inform the development of effective learning technologies.
