Age effects in coding tasks: componential analysis and test of the sensory deficit hypothesis.
Multiple forms of a symbol-digit substitution task were used to provide a componential analysis of age differences in coding task performance. The results demonstrated age differences in feature encoding, memory, and visual search. A 2nd experiment was conducted with young adults to investigate a sensory deficit as a locus of age differences. The spatial contrast sensitivity deficit of older adults was simulated on forms by applying a digital filter. Persons in the age-simulated contrast condition performed worse than those in the normal contrast condition. The stimulus degradation effect was linked to visual search speed. The study illustrates the utility of componential analysis and offers direct support for the hypothesis that sensory deficits affect performance on tasks used to assess intelligence.
Gilmore
Grover C
GC
Department of Psychology, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA. grover.gilmore@case.edu
Spinks
Ruth A
RA
Thomas
Cecil W
CW
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D015350:Contrast Sensitivity; D006801:Humans; D010468:Perceptual Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D011582:Psychological Theory; D014796:Visual Perception