Abstract
In the present study, individual differences in criterion-based dropout learning in old age were investigated. The predictive role of processing speed and verbal knowledge for individual differences in this type of learning was analyzed. Learning trajectories were modeled using a multilevel approach based on N = 47 older participants (M age = 69.3, SD = 6.4). Participants learned five lists of eight cue-target word pairs across six study–test cycles maximally possible. Results indicate that there were reliable individual differences in the initial level, speed of learning, and quadratic growth of learning. After adjusting for age-related effects, both higher verbal knowledge and higher processing speed had a positive effect on speed of learning. Additionally, verbal knowledge had a negative effect on quadratic growth of learning. Speed of learning and quadratic growth had a positive effect on a delayed recall test after adjusting for effects of processing speed and verbal knowledge. These results emphasize the role of cognitive abilities for individual differences in criterion-based dropout learning in old age.
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Notes
One has to keep in mind that a restriction of range is present regarding the number of study–test cycles per word list because no participant could have less than one or more than six study–test cycles per word list. This restriction of range attenuates the correlations between the number of study–test cycles needed for adjacent word lists. If one calculates the correlations between the cumulative number of study–test cycles needed instead, correlations are much higher (>0.90).
Our design of criterion-based learning inevitably leads to unbalanced data. We assumed that the missing data are missing at random (MAR) because the amount of missingness directly depends on the observed data, that is, the trials needed to achieve the criterion (see, e.g., Graham 2009). Of course, the results of the present study and thus the number of trials needed to achieve the criterion refer to the chosen learning criterion of 40 word pairs.
A previous study on verbal learning found a CV of 0.64 for individual differences in rate of learning (Zimprich et al. 2008). However, this study used a fixed-trial whole-list approach. Thus, differences in CVs of the present study and this previous study are reflected in differences of the learning process itself making a comparison of CVs difficult.
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Parts of the preparation of this article were supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation, Grants SNSF-100013-103525 and SNSF-100014-122613/1.
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Kurtz, T., Zimprich, D. Individual differences in criterion-based dropout learning in old age: the role of processing speed and verbal knowledge. Eur J Ageing 11, 183–193 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10433-013-0293-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10433-013-0293-5