The effect of age on the learning of a nondeclarative category classification task

A category classification task was administered to participants in their twenties through their eighties. Participants studied a set of high distortions of a prototype dot pattern and were then asked to choose whether or not a new set of dot patterns (random patterns, high distortions, low distortions, and the prototype) belonged to the same category of dot patterns as studied. Participants were also administered a recognition test after studying a second set of dot patterns. There were no significant differences for age groups on the pattern recognition test. In 2 of the 3 analyses of the category classification task, there were no significant age effects. However, there was a small age effect in one analysis with the young making more accurate classifications on two aspects of the task. The results are consistent with the view that small age-related effects may exist for some tests of nondeclarative memory.