6/28/2004
desjardins/honig COGNITION
74
Cognitive Development
•Reaction time or speed of performance-
–Is individual and generally stays the same or diminishes
during late middle
age.
•Time for new learning
–Decreases with age but ability does not change
•Memory
–Maintained through young and middle adulthood
–Some quantitative changes
–Memorize less readily if material is oral or
disorganized
•Learning
–Capacity of growth is unimpaired and enhanced by
interest, motivation,
flexibility, humor, confidence and maturity.
•Problem-solving abilities
–When there is not time limitation, there are no task
differences