Age-Related Changes in Attentional Control Using an N-Back Working Memory Paradigm. Issue 4 (7th August 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kato, Kimiko; Nakamura, Akinori; Kato, Takashi; Kuratsubo, Izumi; Yamagishi, Misako; Iwata, Kaori; Ito, Kengo
• Is Part Of: Experimental aging research. Volume 42:Issue 4(2016)
• Page Start: 390
• Page End: 402
• Publication Date: 2016-08-07
• Subjects: Aging -- Periodicals; Aging -- Research -- Periodicals; Aging -- Periodicals; Research -- Periodicals; 612.67
• DOI: 10.1080/0361073X.2016.1191867
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0361-073X

Abstract

Abstract : Background/Study Context : Older adults tend to be affected by task-irrelevant distracters. However, whether or not this aging effect is evident when task-irrelevant and relevant stimuli are presented across different sensory modalities is still a subject of debate. The purpose of the present study was to clarify age-related differences in the effects of auditory distraction on visual information processing. Methods : Participants included 20 young individuals, 20 younger-old individuals in their 60s, and 20 older-old individuals in their 70s. Visual n-back (1-back, 2-back) working memory (WM) tasks using Japanese words were examined with and without auditory distracter conditions. Participants' performances were analyzed using a three-way analysis of variance: 3 (age group) × 2 (distraction) × 2 (working memory load). Results : The effects of auditory distractions were influenced by aging and WM load. Auditory distractions disturbed WM performances preferentially in older adults. Further, participants in the older-old group were more affected by auditory distractions than those in the younger-old group, especially during the 2-back task. Conclusion : These results suggested that the WM performances for visual n-back tasks were largely disturbed by auditory distractions in older adults but not in young adults.