NotesFAQContact Us
Collection
Advanced
Search Tips
Back to results
Peer reviewed Peer reviewed
Direct linkDirect link
ERIC Number: EJ733654
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2005-Jul
Pages: 11
Abstractor: Author
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0012-1649
EISSN: N/A
Task Switching Across the Life Span: Effects of Age on General and Specific Switch Costs
Reimers, Stian; Maylor, Elizabeth A.
Developmental Psychology, v41 n4 p661-671 Jul 2005
The authors investigated age-related changes in executive control using an Internet-based task-switching experiment with 5,271 participants between the ages of 10 and 66 years. Speeded face categorization was required on the basis of gender (G) or emotion (E) in single task blocks (GGG... and EEE...) or switching blocks (GGEEGGEE...). General switch costs, the difference between switching block and single task block performance, decreased during development and then increased approximately linearly from age 18. In contrast, specific switch costs, the difference between switch trial and nonswitch trial performance in the switching block, were more stable across the same age range. These results demonstrate differential age effects in task-switching performance and provide a fine-grained analysis of switch costs from puberty to retirement.
American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5540; Fax: 202-336-5549; e-mail: journals@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org/journals.
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A