title: Age effects shrink when motor learning is predominantly supported by nondeclarative, automatic memory processes: evidence from golf putting.
abstract: Can motor learning be equivalent in younger and older adults? To address this question, 48 younger (M = 23.5 years) and 48 older (M = 65.0 years) participants learned to perform a golf-putting task in two different motor learning situations: one that resulted in infrequent errors or one that resulted in frequent errors. The results demonstrated that infrequent-error learning predominantly relied on nondeclarative, automatic memory processes whereas frequent-error learning predominantly relied on declarative, effortful memory processes: After learning, infrequent-error learners verbalized fewer strategies than frequent-error learners; at transfer, a concurrent, attention-demanding secondary task (tone counting) left motor performance of infrequent-error learners unaffected but impaired that of frequent-error learners. The results showed age-equivalent motor performance in infrequent-error learning but age deficits in frequent-error learning. Motor performance of frequent-error learners required more attention with age, as evidenced by an age deficit on the attention-demanding secondary task. The disappearance of age effects when nondeclarative, automatic memory processes predominated suggests that these processes are preserved with age and are available even early in motor learning.
authors: Unité de Recherche CIAMS Equipe Contrôle Moteur et Perception, UFR STAPS, Université Paris-Sud, Orsay, France. guillaume.chauvel@u-psud.fr
authors: Guillaume
authors: G
authors: Chauvel
authors: François
authors: F
authors: Maquestiaux
authors: Alan A
authors: AA
authors: Hartley
authors: Sven
authors: S
authors: Joubert
authors: André
authors: A
authors: Didierjean
authors: Rich S W
authors: RS
authors: Masters
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006055:Golf / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000502:physiology*; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D014163:Transfer, Psychology / Q000502:physiology