Contextual interference effects in sequence learning for young and older adults.
Practice of different tasks in a random order induces better retention than practicing them in a blocked order, a phenomenon known as the contextual interference (CI) effect. Our purpose was to investigate whether the CI effect exists in sequence learning, such that practicing different sequences in a random order will result in better learning of sequences than practicing them in blocks, and whether this effect is affected by aging. Subjects practiced a serial reaction time task where a set of three 4-element sequences were arranged in blocks or in a random order on 2 successive days. Subjects were divided into 4 groups based on a 2-GROUP (young or old) by 2-ORDER (random or blocked practice) between-subject design. Three days after practice (Day 5), subjects were tested with practiced and novel sequences to evaluate sequence-specific learning. The results replicate the CI effect in sequence learning in both young and older adults. Older adults retained sequences better when trained in a random condition than in a blocked condition, although the random condition incurs greater task switching costs in older adults during practice. Our study underscores the distinction between age-related effects on learning vs. performance, and offers practical implications for enhancing skill learning in older adults.
Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California-Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
Chien-Ho Janice
CH
Lin
Allan D
AD
Wu
Parima
P
Udompholkul
Barbara J
BJ
Knowlton
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011930:Reaction Time; D012153:Retention, Psychology; D012691:Serial Learning