title: Age and self-relevance effects on information search during decision making.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We investigated how information search strategies used to support decision making were influenced by self-related implications of the task to the individual. Consistent with the notion of selective engagement, we hypothesized that increased self-relevance would result in more adaptive search behaviors and that this effect would be stronger in older adults than in younger adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined search behaviors in 79 younger and 81 older adults using a process-tracing procedure with 2 different decision tasks. The impact of motivation (i.e., self-related task implications) was examined by manipulating social accountability and the age-related relevance of the task.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although age differences in search strategies were not great, older adults were more likely than younger adults to use simpler strategies in contexts with minimal self-implications. Contrary to expectations, young and old alike were more likely to use noncompensatory than compensatory strategies, even when engaged in systematic search, with education being the most important determinant of search behavior.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results support the notion that older adults are adaptive decision makers and that factors other than age may be more important determinants of performance in situations where knowledge can be used to support performance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7801, USA. thomas_hess@ncsu.edu
authors.forename: Thomas M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Hess
authors.forename: Tara L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Queen
authors.forename: Gilda E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Ennis
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D057226:Information Seeking Behavior; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D055815:Young Adult