An individual differences analysis of ability and strategy influences: Age-related differences in associative learning

The relationships among abilities, strategies, and performance on an associ ative learning task were investigated for young (aged 17 to 34) and older a dults (aged 60 to 82). Participants received extensive practice on a noun-p air task in which they could use a visual-scanning strategy or a memory-ret rieval strategy. Older adults were more likely to use the scanning strategy . Age differences were reduced when comparisons were made only for particip ants using a retrieval strategy. Associative memory was predictive of learn ing on the task, and semantic memory access speed was predictive of practic ed performance. Practiced performance on a memory-search task that also req uired associative learning was predictive of practiced noun-pair performanc e. Models of ability-performance relationships for skill acquisition are di scussed.