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Abstract
Mental models are knowledge structures that are used to describe, predict, and explain the system that they represent. Mental models can be useful for both younger and older adults. Past research (CitationGilbert & Rogers, 1999, Journal of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences, 54B, P246–P255) indicated that both younger and older adults were able to acquire and utilize a new spatial mental model. Younger and older adult participants from that research returned after a 2-week interval and a group of younger adult participants returned after 4 weeks to determine if their mental model was retained over time. Retention was best for the younger adult 2-week group; performance did not differ for the older adult 2-week and younger adult 4-week groups. Participants who were able to reconstruct the map initially were able to utilize the information very well, regardless of age or retention interval. In addition, both younger and older adults who showed lower initial retention benefited from a brief study time. Implications for refresher training are discussed.
The research was supported in part by a grant from the National Institutes of Health (National Institute on Aging) Grant No. P01 AG17211 under the auspices of the Center for Research and Education on Aging and Technology Enhancement (CREATE). Portions of these data were presented at the Sixth Cognitive Aging Conference (Atlanta, April, 1996). The authors would like to thank Dan Fisk for comments on this project.
Notes
Note. In all cases, the two younger adult groups did not differ from each other. In terms of age-related differences, older adults had more education and higher vocabulary; younger adults performed better on the digit symbol substitution test. There were no group differences in self-reported health.
a Chronological age; b years of education; c self-reported, 1 = excellent, 5 = poor; d Wechsler (1981); e Ekstrom et al. (1976); f number of days.
a All participants are represented in these data: 12 younger adults in the 2-week retention group, 11 older adults in the 2-week retention group, and 10 younger adults in the 4-week retention group.
b These data represent only those participants who were able to reconstruct the map perfectly on the first try after the retention interval: 10 younger adults in the 2-week retention group, 5 older adults in the 2-week retention group, and 6 younger adults in the 4-week retention group.