Aging and path integration skill: kinesthetic and vestibular contributions to wayfinding.
In a triangle completion task designed to assess path integration skill, younger and older adults performed similarly after being led, while blindfolded, along the route segments on foot, which provided both kinesthetic and vestibular information about the outbound path. In contrast, older adults' performance was impaired, relative to that of younger adults, after they were conveyed, while blindfolded, along the route segments in a wheelchair, which limited them principally to vestibular information. Correlational evidence suggested that cognitive resources were significant factors in accounting for age-related decline in path integration performance.
Allen
Gary L
GL
Department of Psychology, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina 29208, USA. allen-gary@sc.edu
Kirasic
Kathleen C
KC
Rashotte
Matthew A
MA
Haun
Daniel B M
DB
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007699:Kinesthesis / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009949:Orientation / Q000502:physiology*; D011340:Problem Solving / Q000502:physiology*; D012016:Reference Values; D014722:Vestibule, Labyrinth / Q000502:physiology*; D016138:Walking; D014910:Wheelchairs