A New Look at Retest Learning in Older Adults: Learning in the Absence of Item-Specific Effects

• DOI: 10.32920/14641896.v1
• Publication Date: 2021-07-28T07:36:58Z
• Authors: Frank Russo; Lixia Yang; Maureen J. Reed; Andrea J. Wilkinson
• Keywords: Memorization

We investigated retest learning (i.e., performance improvement through practice) in the absence of itemspecific effects memorizing or becoming familiar with specific items) older adults. Thirty-one adults (ages 60 – 82 years, M = 71.10, SD 6.27) participated an eight-session self-guided program. To eliminate item-specific effects, parallel versions representative psychometric measures for Inductive Reasoning, Perceptual Speed, and Visual Attention were developed administered across sessions. The results showed substantial non-item-specific learning, even controlling anxiety, suggesting that can occur at a more conceptual level.