Dual task performance in older adults

Previous studies have given mixed results as to whether age-related-changes in dual-task performance are disproportionate in comparison to single-task performance. This research investigated whether task domain is an important moderator of dual-task costs in old age. 36 Young (mean = 22.6) and 36 older adults (mean = 72.7) were required to either recall paired associates (episodic retrieval) or generate category members (semantic retrieval) under single and dual task conditions. For the semantic retrieval task the proportional costs of dual-tasking were age-invariant. However, for the episodic retrieval task there was a marked age effect in proportional costs of dual tasking. The data did not support an account based on task difficulty and so this evidence suggests the age effect in dual tasking studies may be domain specific.