Aging of the planning process: the role of executive functioning.
This study tested whether the aging of executive functioning is linked to the decline in planning performance. Participants were divided into three groups: group 1 composed of 15 adults with a mean age of 22.7 years, group 2 composed of 15 adults with a mean age of 68.1 years and group 3 composed of 16 adults with a mean age of 78.75 years. Each participant took tests for shifting, inhibition, updating and processing speed. Planning was evaluated by the Tower of Hanoi task with 3 and 4 disks. Analyses of variance showed a main age effect on the many executive functioning and planning measures assessed. Analyses of regression indicated that combined processing speed and shifting accounted for 58.33% of performance on the 3-disk version, while processing speed accounted for only 36.86% of performance on the 4-disk version. These results are discussed in relation to two levels of the planning process: formulation and execution.
Sorel
Olivier
O
EA 2114, Vieillissement et développement adulte, cognition, rythmicité et adaptation, Université François Rabelais, Tours, France. oliverchess@msn.com
Pennequin
Valérie
V
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008606:Mental Processes / Q000502:physiology*; D011340:Problem Solving / Q000502:physiology*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology*; D012016:Reference Values; D012718:Set, Psychology