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Age-Related Changes in Error Monitoring of an Everyday Task

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 May 2013

Sara Balouch  and
Jennifer M. Rusted
Sara Balouch*
Affiliation:
School of Psychology, University of Sussex, Brighton, East Sussex, United Kingdom
Jennifer M. Rusted
Affiliation:
School of Psychology, University of Sussex, Brighton, East Sussex, United Kingdom
*
Correspondence and reprint requests to: Sara Balouch, School of Psychology, University of Sussex, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 9QH, United Kingdom. E-mail: s.balouch@sussex.ac.uk
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Abstract

The process of checking in an everyday task to ensure error prevention/error correction, has not been systematically documented in relation to everyday action errors. This is surprising, given that studies of everyday task performance in people with dementia suggest poor error monitoring (error detection/correction). The present study documented age-related changes in errors and error monitoring behaviors, including the novel variable of checking (verbal/non-verbal gestures indicating active task monitoring), in an everyday task. In a 2 × 2 mixed-subjects design (n = 57), young and older adults performed a tea-making task under standard and dual-task conditions. Error rates were similar across age-groups and conditions. The dual-task condition reduced verbal checking and increased microslips (initiation and termination of an error before the error is completed) for both age-groups, when compared to the standard condition. In the standard condition, older adults engaged in more verbal checks than young adults, but this was not associated with improved task accuracy. Thus, both age-groups do engage in checking during an everyday task, but this checking had little impact on task accuracy. Consequently, checking may not be a necessary part of performance accuracy. Future studies should investigate whether enhanced awareness would make monitoring more effective. (JINS, 2013, 19, 1–10)

Keywords

Activities of daily livingExecutive functionAgingOlder adultsSchemaAction-based memory
Type
Research Articles
Information
Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society , Volume 19 , Issue 7 , August 2013 , pp. 763 - 772
Copyright
Copyright © The International Neuropsychological Society 2013 

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