Examining age differences in performance of a complex information search and retrieval task
Abstract
This study examined age differences in performance of a complex information search and retrieval task by using a simulated real-world task typical of those performed by customer service representatives. The study also investigated the influence of task experience and the relationships between cognitive abilities and task performance. One hundred seventeen participants from 3 age groups, younger (20-39 years). middle-aged (40-59 years), and older (60-75 years), performed the task for 3 days. Significant age differences were found for all measures of task performance with the exception of navigational efficiency and number of problems correctly navigated per attempt. There were also effects of task experience. The findings also indicated significant direct and indirect relations between component cognitive abilities and task performance.
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Computer performance among older adults varies widely.
“Computer performance among older adults has been found to vary widely (Czaja, Sharit, Ownby, Roth, & Nair, 2001;lindberg et al., 2006}”
From The impact of age on website usability (2014) · cites this paper as Czaja, Sharit, Ownby, Roth, & Nair, 2001
Age effects on computer performance are largely mediated by contextual factors such as experience and cognitive abilities.
“Some suggest that age effects are largely mediated by contextual factors such as experience and cognitive abilities (Czaja et al., 2001).”
From The impact of age on website usability (2014) · cites this paper as Czaja et al., 2001
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- Authors
- Czaja, S. J., Sharit, J., Ownby, R., Roth, D. L., & Nair, S.
- Affiliations
- University of Miami (US)
- Venue
- Psychology and Aging
- Published
- 2001-12
- Volume
- 16
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 564-579
- ISSN
- 0882-7974 (ISSN-L)
- 1939-1498
- OpenAlex
- W2150629970
- Cited by
- 184
- References
- 43
- Citations by year
- 2025: 2 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 18 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 12 · 2015: 9 · 2014: 11 · 2013: 9 · 2012: 8
- FWCI
- 8.87
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Psychology and Aging (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- NSUWorks (Nova Southeastern University) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health (5p50ag011748-05)
- National Institute on Aging (AG11748-05)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology › Aging and Gerontology Research
- Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Information Systems › Information Retrieval and Search Behavior
- Social Sciences › Demography › Technology Use by Older Adults
- Keywords
- age differences, task performance, customer service employees, task experience, cognitive ability, older adults, middle-aged adults, young adults
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Age Factors, Aged, Attention, Cognition, Female, Humans, Language, Male, Memory, Middle Aged, Neuropsychological Tests, Verbal Behavior
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