AGE-DIFFERENCES IN THE FORMATION OF EQUIVALENCE CLASSES

Citation
Km. Wilson et Ma. Milan, AGE-DIFFERENCES IN THE FORMATION OF EQUIVALENCE CLASSES, The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences, 50(4), 1995, pp. 212-218
Citations number
25
Categorie Soggetti
Geiatric & Gerontology","Geiatric & Gerontology",Psychology
ISSN journal
10795014
Volume
50
Issue
4
Year of publication
1995
Pages
212 - 218
Database
ISI
SICI code
1079-5014(1995)50:4<212:AITFOE>2.0.ZU;2-M
Abstract
In order to investigate the relationship between stimulus equivalence class formation and age differences, two groups of elderly (ages 62-81 ) and young (ages 19-22) adult men and women mastered a series of simp le and conditional discriminations. Subsequently, they were administer ed a test for the emergence of equivalence relations. There was a sign ificant age difference in the emergence of equivalence relations, with the elderly subjects less likely to demonstrate equivalence relations . Measures of response latencies evidenced a general slowing of behavi or for the elderly group across tasks. There were no gender or Age by Gender interactions. Possible explanations for the age differences ore discussed.