DUAL-TASK ASSESSMENT OF AGE-DIFFERENCES IN AUTOMATIC PROCESS-DEVELOPMENT

The present experiment assessed dual-task performance in 20 young (mea n age 21) and 20 old (mean age 72) adults. Ss first received extensive single-task practice on consistent and varied search tasks. Next, the y received dual-task practice in 2 conditions: (a) varied visual searc h plus varied memory search and (b) consistent visual search plus vari ed memory search. In the varied-varied condition, young and old adults showed similar dual-task decrements. These results, along with the cu rrent data in the literature, suggest that practice may play an import ant role in determining age-related dual-task differences (or lack the reof). In the consistent-varied condition, young adults attained singl e-task performance levels, because they had automatized the consistent task. Old adults were unable to match their single-task performance l evels, indicating that they were unable to automatize the consistent t ask.