title: Implicit sequence learning: effects of level of structure, adult age, and extended practice.
abstract: The influence of structure and age on sequence learning was investigated by testing 24 young and 24 older participants for 10 sessions in an alternating serial response time task in which pattern trials alternated with random trials. Individuals encountered lag-2 or lag-3 structure, and learning was measured by the difference (in response time and accuracy) between pattern and random trials. Both ages learned lag-2 structure, but the young learned more than the older participants. Only the young people learned lag-3 structure, and they did so more slowly and to a lesser degree than they learned lag-2 structure. These age deficits in higher order sequence learning after extended practice are consistent with simultaneity theory and with theories positing that age-related deficits in neuromodulation lead to less distinctive representations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057-1001, USA. howardd@georgetown.edu
authors.forename: Darlene V
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Howard
authors.forename: James H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Howard
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Japikse
authors.forename: Cara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: DiYanni
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Somberg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003210:Concept Formation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D011930:Reaction Time