Cognitive Skill Acquisition: A Developmental Approach

Twenty-eight studies from five different categories of tasks were examined for age-dependent training effects across the ages of seven to ninety. Four general patterns of results emerged from these studies. First, sensorimotor differences were found across the age groups. Second, although there were definite age differences, practice effects were evident for all ages. Third, ability-dependent differences within age groups were observed. These differences may be eliminated with consistent training. Finally, performance on certain task components, primarily those utilizing well-developed automatic processes, remained relatively stable across the life span. These patterns of performance are interpreted from a “connectionist” viewpoint and explained in terms of priority and associative mechanisms of learning.