When expertise reduces age differences in performance.

Abstract

The authors examined whether aviation expertise reduces age differences in a laboratory task that was similar to routine air traffic control (ATC) communication. In Experiment 1, older and younger pilots and nonpilots read typical ATC messages (e.g., commands to change aircraft heading). After each message, they read back (repeated) the commands, which is a routine ATC procedure requiring short-term memory. Ss also performed less domain-relevant tasks. Expertise eliminated age differences in repeating heading commands, but did not reduce age differences for the less relevant tasks. In Experiment 2, expertise reduced but did not eliminate age differences in repeating heading commands from spoken messages. The results suggest that expertise compensates age declines in resources when the task is highly domain relevant.

The Adaptive and Strategic Use of Memory By Older Adults: Evaluative Processing and Value-Directed Remembering

“…Previous research on aging, expertise, and memory has shown that expertise can facilitate memory performance for domainrelevant information (see Krampe & Charness, 2006, for a review). This has been demonstrated in domains such as memory for chess (Charness, 1981), cooking information (Miller, 2003), aviation information (Morrow, Leirer, Altieri, & Fitzsimmons, 1994), spatial layouts (Hess & Slaughter, 1990), and music (Meinz & Salthouse, 1998), although in many cases expertise simply leads to similar benefits in performance for both younger and older adults (see Arbuckle, Cooney, Milne, & Melchior, 1994). However, given that younger and older adults likely have diVerent goals, it may not be useful to determine when both age groups reach a similar level of performance (e.g., older adults might be satisfied with any expertise-related improvements, even if they do not reach the same levels of younger adults).…”

Cognitive Ability, Expertise, and Age Differences in Following Air-Traffic Control Instructions.

“…As demonstrated in studies by Morrow and colleagues, when information was auditorially presented and there was no opportunity to take notes, expertise did not reduce age differences in aviation communication read-back performance. In addition to showing that note taking determined when expertise mitigated age differences, Morrow et al (1994) showed that communication task factors-such as speed of presentation, mode of presentation, and the complexity of information-either alone or in combination, affected the extent of expertise-based mitigation. For example, slower, written presentation of ATC messages concerning four-leg routes through the air space led to complete elimination of age differences among pilots in the accuracy of reading back heading commands.…”

“…In considering past inconsistent results, Morrow et al (1994) stressed that task-domain relevance is a crucial factor determining "when expertise reduces age differences" (p. 134). More specifically, investigators need to use tasks in which the stimuli are familiar and organized and the responses are compatible with the goals of the relevant performance domain (Vicente, 1992;Vicente & Wang, 1998).…”

“…Student pilots and controllers are trained to follow protocols that specify the order and specific pronunciation of elements in a communication (Federal Aviation Administration [FAA] Order 7110.650 and Aeronautical Information Manual). As did Morrow et al (1994), we presented heading, altitude, and radio frequency information according to standard aviation protocol. Similar to Morrow et al (1994, Experiment 2;Morrow et al, 2001), ATC messages were presented auditorially, and the pilot read back the ATC communication, which is currently typical practice for the population of pilots we studied.…”

“…On average, older pilots recall ATC communications less well than younger pilots (Morrow, Leirer, & Yesavage, 1990;Morrow, Yesavage, Leirer, & Tinklenberg, 1993;Taylor et al, 1994;Yesavage, Taylor, Mumenthaler, Noda, & O'Hara, 1999). However, there is some evidence that pilot expertise may reduce (or moderate) age differences in remembering ATC communications (Morrow & Leirer, 1997;Morrow, Leirer, Altieri, & Fitzsimmons, 1994), but this has not been a consistent finding (Morrow, Menard, Stine-Morrow, Teller, & Bryant, 2001). Increased understanding of aviation communication as a specialized form of listening comprehension and immediate verbal recall would not only contribute to theoretical models of cognitive aging, but this information may also point to interventions designed to improve communication procedures.…”