Department of Psychology, University of Victoria, P.O. Box 3050, Cornett B328, Victoria BC V8W 3P5, Canada.
Dev Psychol. 2011 Sep;47(5):1490-8. doi: 10.1037/a0023422.
The present study aimed at modeling individual differences in a verbal learning task by means of a latent structured growth curve approach based on an exponential function that yielded 3 parameters: initial recall, learning rate, and asymptotic performance. Three cognitive variables-speed of information processing, verbal knowledge, working memory-and the participant's age were included in the model in order to explain individual differences in the learning parameters. The data come from the second wave of the Zurich Longitudinal Study on Cognitive Aging (D. Zimprich, Martin, et al., 2008) comprising 334 participants ranging in age from 66 to 81 years (M = 74.43, SD = 4.41). Among the logistic, the Gompertz, and the hyperbolic function, the exponential function described the data best. Reliable individual differences were found in all 3 learning parameters. The cognitive predictor variables affected the verbal learning parameters differentially: All 3 predictors affected positively initial recall, the asymptotic performance increased with better working memory and faster processing speed, and the learning rate was positively associated with verbal knowledge only. Age did not affect the learning parameters but correlated negatively with working memory and processing speed. The finding of large and reliable individual differences in learning is seen as evidence that the potential for positive change, or plasticity in adulthood is maintained and that it is worthwhile to enhance the determinants of learning or learning itself.
本研究旨在通过基于指数函数的潜在结构增长曲线方法来模拟言语学习任务中的个体差异，该方法产生了 3 个参数：初始回忆、学习率和渐近表现。为了解释学习参数的个体差异，将 3 个认知变量（信息处理速度、言语知识、工作记忆）和参与者的年龄纳入模型中。数据来自认知老化的苏黎世纵向研究的第二波（D. Zimprich、Martin 等人，2008 年），共有 334 名年龄在 66 至 81 岁之间的参与者（M = 74.43，SD = 4.41）。在逻辑、戈珀兹和双曲线函数中，指数函数最能描述数据。在所有 3 个学习参数中都发现了可靠的个体差异。认知预测变量对言语学习参数的影响不同：所有 3 个预测变量均对初始回忆产生积极影响，渐近表现随着更好的工作记忆和更快的处理速度而提高，学习率仅与言语知识呈正相关。年龄不会影响学习参数，但与工作记忆和处理速度呈负相关。学习中存在较大且可靠的个体差异的发现被视为证据，证明成年后积极变化或可塑性得以维持，增强学习或学习本身的决定因素是值得的。
