| This study involved the extent to which younger and older subjects were able to automaticize a new memory task. The learned or primary task, in which they were well trained, involved a consistent mapping and a varied mapping version of a memory search task similar to the one used by Sternberg (1966). After several sessions of training, a second task was concurrently added to the first task. This involved a similar unlearned variable mapping memory search task. The main aim of the study was to determine whether older subjects could achieve a comparable level of automaticity on a pure memory search task, as shown in younger subjects by Strayer and Kramer (1990). The criteria for this included being able to learn the task well enough to completely dissipate the effect of memory load (i.e., memory-set size) on the reaction time. The second requirement of pure automatization is that perfect time-sharing is achieved, in which a task requiring attention is not hampered by the concurrent performance of the automaticized task. Results indicated that older subjects attained a level of automaticity for this memory search task that was less than pure and characteristically different to that of young subjects, that is, older subjects' performance did not meet the 2-fold criteria for pure automaticity. Implications as to the effects of this on working memory and normal aging are discussed. |
