Older and Weaker or Older and Wiser: Exploring the Drivers of Performance Differences in Young and Old Adults on Experiential Learning Tasks in the Presence of Veridical Feedback

Abstract

This dissertation proposes that while traditional cognitive psychology literature suggests that cognitive function decreases with age, these decreases are dependent on the types of testing being performed. While traditional cognitive tests of memory and processing speed show declines associated with age, this research suggests these declines are not robust across all types of learning. The coming pages present four studies aimed at furthering our understanding of how different age cohorts of consumers learn about products in active and complex marketplaces. Study one reveals an age advantage associated with learning experientially; an interesting and somewhat surprising result that warrants further investigation given the rapid rate at which populations are aging. The additional studies presented here begin that investigation through the application of several psychological theories. This research explores increased vigilance associated with the security motivation system (based on the principles of evolutionary psychology), the possible impact of mortality salience through the application of Terror Management Theory and a positive correlation between age and cognitive control, as possible explanations.