title: The preservation of response inhibition aftereffects in a location-based spatial negative priming task: younger versus older adults.
abstract: Younger (M = 21 years) and older (M = 74 years) adults completed a spatial negative priming (SNP) task where (central) events (i.e., target or distractor) are presented in trial pairs: first the prime and then the probe. Free-choice trials were included (1 location: 2 permissible responses), which allowed us to isolate response inhibition and its consequent inhibitory aftereffects (i.e., current inhibition interferes with later related processing-e.g., SNP). The inhibitory aftereffects associated with the suppression of responses activated by distractor-occupied locations were highly comparable for younger and older adults; including similar SNP effect sizes, a significant tendency to select against former distractor (inhibited) responses (within-hand finger options) on free-choice trials, and latency delays attributable solely to the use of self-selected distractor responses. Aftereffects generated by target-occupied prime trials locations were also the same for both age groups; recently executed target responses were selected for and produced faster responding (within hand). Aftereffects were absent on between-hand free-choice trials and, overall, response selection determinants on free-choice trials matched for older and younger adults.
authors: School of Kinesiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Western Ontario, Thames Hall, London, ON, N6A 3K7, Canada., ebuckolz@uwo.ca.
authors: Eric
authors: E
authors: Buckolz
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Lok
authors: Ben
authors: B
authors: Kajaste
authors: Cameron
authors: C
authors: Edgar
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Khan
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002755:Choice Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult