The 50s cliff: perceptuo-motor learning rates across the lifespan.
We recently found that older adults show reduced learning rates when learning a new pattern of coordinated rhythmic movement. The purpose of this study was to extend that finding by examining the performance of all ages across the lifespan from the 20 s through to the 80 s to determine how learning rates change with age. We tested whether adults could learn to produce a novel coordinated rhythmic movement (90° relative phase) in a visually guided unimanual task. We determined learning rates to quantify changes in learning with age and to determine at what ages the changes occur. We found, as before, that learning rates of participants in their 70 s and 80 s were half those of participants in their 20 s. We also found a gradual slow decline in learning rate with age until approximately age 50, when there was a sudden drop to a reduced learning rate for the 60 though 80 year olds. We discuss possible causes for the "50 s cliff" in perceptuo-motor learning rates and suggest that age related deficits in perception of complex motions may be the key to understanding this result.
School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom.
Rachel O
RO
Coats
School of Social, Psychological and Communication Sciences, Leeds Metropolitan University, Leeds, United Kingdom.
Andrew D
AD
Wilson
Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, United States of America.
Winona
W
Snapp-Childs
Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, United States of America.
Aaron J
AJ
Fath
Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, United States of America.
Geoffrey P
GP
Bingham
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D055815:Young Adult