Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Task complexity and problem-solving performance in younger and older adults.

A A Hartley, J W Anderson

    Journal of Gerontology
    |January 1, 1983
    PubMed
    Summary
    This summary is machine-generated.

    Related Concept Videos

    You might also read

    Related Articles

    Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

    Sort by
    Same author

    A Case of a Peculiar Form of Asthma.

    Glasgow medical journal·2018
    Same author

    Meningocele.

    Edinburgh medical journal·2018
    Same author

    Light-dependent reduction of dehydroascorbate and uptake of exogenous ascorbate by spinach chloroplasts.

    Planta·2013
    Same author

    Oxygen evolution by a reconstituted spinach chloroplast system in the presence ofL-glutamine and 2-oxoglutarate.

    Planta·2013
    Same author

    Ammonia assimilation and oxygen evolution by a reconstituted chloroplast system in the presence of 2-oxoglutarate and glutamate.

    Planta·2013
    Same author

    Chitin-glucan fiber effects on oxidized low-density lipoprotein: a randomized controlled trial.

    European journal of clinical nutrition·2012
    Same journal

    Shakespeare's attitude towards old age.

    Journal of gerontology·2010
    Same journal

    Involution of tissues in fetal life; a review.

    Journal of gerontology·2010
    Same journal

    Attitudes toward aging and the aged; primitive societies.

    Journal of gerontology·2010
    Same journal

    Budgeting for social security.

    Journal of gerontology·2010
    Same journal

    The Hodson Community Center; an experiment in preservation of personality.

    Journal of gerontology·2010
    Same journal

    Prolongation of life with prevention of leukemia by thymectomy in mice.

    Journal of gerontology·2010
    See all related articles

    Older adults did not improve strategy efficiency with increased task complexity, contrary to expectations. Both age groups used similar strategies, but older adults

    Area of Science:

    • Cognitive Psychology
    • Human Development

    Background:

    • Cognitive strategies are crucial for problem-solving across the lifespan.
    • Previous research suggested older adults might adopt more efficient strategies when faced with complex tasks.
    • The current study investigates strategy selection in older and younger adults under varying task complexity and demands.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To examine if older adults employ more efficient problem-solving strategies than younger adults as task complexity increases.
    • To determine the impact of time constraints on strategy selection in different age groups.
    • To test a hypothesis derived from prior findings regarding age-related strategy adaptation.

    Main Methods:

    • Participants engaged in a task analogous to the Twenty Questions game.

    Related Experiment Videos

  • The task involved identifying a target square or squares from an array.
  • Task complexity was manipulated by varying information load (6, 8, or 12 bits), and a time limit (60 seconds) was imposed in a separate condition.

    • Main Results:

    • Contrary to the initial hypothesis, older adults did not show evidence of selecting more efficient strategies with increasing task complexity.
    • Both age groups maintained similar strategies throughout the experiment.
    • The effectiveness of the less efficient strategies used by older adults decreased as task complexity rose.

    Conclusions:

    • Older adults do not automatically adopt more efficient problem-solving strategies in response to increased task complexity or demands.
    • Strategy selection appears consistent across age groups, but strategy effectiveness is modulated by task demands.
    • Further research is needed to understand the cognitive mechanisms underlying strategy use and adaptation in aging populations.