Preserved learning of implicit regularities with predictive social cues in older adults.

Claudia Salera, Ala Yankouskaya, Maria Daniela Gazzaneo, Alessia Bonavita, Mariella Pazzaglia, Cecilia Guariglia, Anna Pecchinenda

Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy. · pubmed

Paper

Abstract

With ageing there are changes in the ability to orient attention, which affect more endogenous than exogenous orienting. However, orienting attention by the gaze direction of others shares characteristics of both exogenous and endogenous attention and it is unclear how it is affected by ageing. Being able to orient attention by the gaze direction of others is important to establish successful social interactions (i.e., joint attention), and when gaze direction predicts where in the environment salient events occur, it helps to successfully navigate the environment.

The following analysis is generated by AI and may contain errors. It is separate from the authors’ abstract and is not peer review.

Research summary

The paper addresses the effects of aging on attention orientation, specifically in the context of social interactions, which is relevant to understanding cognitive changes in older adults. However, it does not tackle the root causes of aging or propose solutions for lifespan extension. The findings may contribute to the field of cognitive aging but are unlikely to have a significant impact on broader longevity research.

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