Age Differences in the Performance of Hypertext Perusal

The present study examined the extent to which age had impacts on the performance of hypertext perusal as a function of text topologies. Ten subjects, five young (mean = 27.4) and five seniors (mean = 61.6), participated in an experiment where three levels of text linearity were manipulated. The data showed that both age and text topologies were significant sources of variability in hypertext browsing and navigation. On each text topology, older subjects browsed less text with a larger number of nodes repeatedly visited, which suggested more severe disorientation. With respect to navigation, a significant age x topology interaction indicated that the effect of age differences was mainly derived from the network topology, evidenced by the more extra links searched by the senior subject. Implications for the design of hypertext systems that accommodate the age effects are discussed.