Effects of Skill Integration and Perceptual Competition on Age-Related Differences in Dual-Task Performance

Abstract

Age-related differences in dual-task performance may be affected by factors such as skill integration and perceptual competition. Therefore these factors were examined in a dual-task experiment with young and older adults involving two one-dimensional compensatory tracking tasks. Single-task difficulty was individually adjusted for each subject. It was found that differences in pure dual-task performance between young and older subjects increase when the subtasks are coherent such that skills can be integrated. In addition, the degree to which integration reduces the effects of visual competition was larger for the young than for the older subjects. It is concluded that in dual tasks with coherent subtasks, older adults may show an impaired ability to perform the subtasks in an integrated manner.

The effects of age and task domain on dual task performance: A meta-analysis

“…This finding is consistent with previous research that has found age effects both at the cognitive and motor processing level (e.g., Crook, West, & Larrabee, 1993). Furthermore, it has been identified that when complex tasks (e.g., driving) require motor skills, older adults are particularly impaired (e.g., Korteling, 1991). Indeed, Lindenberger et al (2000) in their investigations suggest that a decline in sensorimotor processing in ageing results in more controlled type processing mechanisms being called for and therefore when faced with competing demands older adults are particularly impaired due to a deficit in executive control.…”

“…Kieley (1991( , in Hartley, 1992 was the first to carry out a meta-analysis on age differences in dual task performance, finding a large average effect size of d = .99. The effect size d 1 refers to the most commonly used effect size estimator and represents the standardised difference between the control and experimental groups' performance, d = (Mean e ±Mean c )/SD.…”

Integrating vehicle design and human factors: minimizing elderly driving constraints

“…Nevertheless, it was not eliminated. This result is consistent with the view that motor skills are particularly aected by the aging process (Korteling, 1991).…”

Attentional Demand Varies During a Blind Navigation Pathway In Young And Older Adults

“…A systematic review of dual-task studies in older adults indicate that reduced gait speed and performance decrement in the cognitive task are larger in old than in young adults [1]. Among explanations for these age-related changes in dual-task performances, it has been proposed that aging involves general slowing in neural processing [2], impairment in management and coordination of multiple tasks [3] and performance decrement in tasks of increased complexity [4]. However, the generally accepted concept is that during dual-tasks attention resources are shared between the primary and the concurrent secondary tasks, presuming that each task require attention [5].…”