PSYC 2120 Chapter : 2120 Sec 2
Document Summary
The increase in reaction time reflects a general decline of information processing speed within the nervous system of the aging individual. Age complexity hypothesis through slowing of central processes in the nervous system, age differences increase as tasks become more complex and procesing resources are stretched more and more to their limit. Older people do better with recognition because of the external cues help them recall the encoding process. Capacity: how much information that can be processed at a given time: effortful processes- requires attention and cognitive effort, automatic processes- ex. Typing, driving: effortful processes show age-related declines, divided attention: being able to do 2 things at one time, 3. Vigilance: readiness for detecting a stimulus change; maintenance of attention, ex: air traffic controller: sustained attention: the ability to maintain attention to a sensory event for a long period of time. Normal memory aging: desired information usually pops to mind later.
