Route repetition and route reversal: Effects of age and encoding method.

ABSTRACT: Previous research indicates age-related impairments in learning routes from a start location to a target destination. There is less research on age effects on the ability to reverse a learned path. The method used to learn routes may also influence performance. This study examined how encoding methods influence the ability of younger and older adults to recreate a route in a virtual reality environment in forward and reverse directions. Younger (n = 50) and older (n = 50) adults learned a route either by self-navigation through the virtual environment or through studying a map. At test, participants recreated the route in the forward and reverse directions. Older adults in the map study condition had greater difficulty learning the route in the forward direction compared to younger adults.

SUBMITTER: Allison S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5489070 | biostudies-literature | 2017 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature