Morrow Daniel G, Rogers Wendy A
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Beckman Institute of Advanced Science & Technology,Urbana, IL 61801, USA.
Hum Factors. 2008 Aug;50(4):589-613. doi: 10.1518/001872008X312251.
In this qualitative review, we develop an integrative framework to bring coherence to the concept of environmental support (ES) in the fields of human factors and cognitive aging.
The ES hypothesis, originally formulated to explain effects of retrieval support on age-related differences in memory by reducing need for self-initiated processing, has been applied to many domains, such that the concept now encompasses many manipulations and measures. We developed a framework in which different types of ES share a common function (external support of performance) but differ in how this function is accomplished. ES improves performance by reducing task demands on mental resources or promoting effective use of resources. Previous reviews show that ES can decrease age-related differences in performance (more benefit for older adults), provide equal benefit, or increase differences (more benefit for younger adults). We proposed that the outcome will depend on properties of the ES, task, and person.
We applied our framework to the domains of language comprehension and human-computer interaction, selecting studies representative of differing outcomes for ES.
In both domains, we found that outcomes depended on ES, task, and person. Age differences were more likely to be reduced by ES that imposed minimal prerequisites for use and targeted processes that needed support.
Our review helps refine the ES concept by identifying conditions under which age differences in performance are reduced or magnified by ES.
The framework provides guidance for human factors practitioners to design tasks and environments for older adults.
在本定性综述中，我们构建了一个综合框架，以使人为因素和认知老化领域中的环境支持（ES）概念更加连贯。
ES假说最初旨在通过减少自我启动加工的需求来解释检索支持对记忆中与年龄相关差异的影响，现已应用于许多领域，以至于该概念现在涵盖了许多操作和测量方法。我们开发了一个框架，其中不同类型的ES具有共同的功能（对表现的外部支持），但在实现此功能的方式上有所不同。ES通过减少对心理资源的任务需求或促进资源的有效利用来提高表现。先前的综述表明，ES可以减少表现中与年龄相关的差异（对老年人更有益）、提供同等益处或增加差异（对年轻人更有益）。我们提出，结果将取决于ES、任务和人的属性。
我们将我们的框架应用于语言理解和人机交互领域，选择代表ES不同结果的研究。
在这两个领域中，我们发现结果取决于ES、任务和人。对于使用要求最低且针对需要支持的过程的ES，年龄差异更有可能减小。
我们的综述通过确定ES减少或放大表现中年龄差异的条件，有助于完善ES概念。
该框架为人类因素从业者为老年人设计任务和环境提供了指导。
