Age effects on random-array letter cancellation tests.

Abstract

Objective: This study was designed to determine whether young and older adults differ in the spatial pattern of omission errors on random-array letter cancellation tasks.

Background: Aging is associated with declines in the speed or efficiency of visual information processing. It is unclear whether the spatial characteristics of visual exploration also change with aging.

Method: Thirty young adults and 30 older adults each completed 21 random-array cancellation forms. Forms were systematically varied in paper size, target-to-distractor ratio, stimulus density, and target number.

Results: The spatial distribution of errors was not random for older adults. Younger adults expressed a trend toward nonrandom error location, but the spatial distribution did not differ between groups. There was also a strong trend toward more errors per subject in the older group. Older subjects required more time for task completion.

Conclusions: The findings are consistent with a generalized age-related decline in the speed or efficiency of visual search, but the spatial properties of directed attention do not appear to be different between young and older adults.