Plemons J K, Willis S L, Baltes P B
J Gerontol. 1978 Mar;33(2):224-31. doi: 10.1093/geronj/33.2.224.
The aim of this study was to examine to what degree fluid intelligence can be modified in aged subjects. The effectiveness of a cognitive training program designed to enhance one primary component of fluid intelligence, Figural Relations, was assessed by comparing the posttraining performances of 15 experimental and 15 control subjects (mean age: 69; age range 59-85) using a transfer paradigm and three posttraining assessments conducted approximately 1 week, 1 mo, and 6 mo following training. The post-training performance of the two groups was compared on three near (fluid intelligence) and one far (crystallized intelligence) transfer measures. A hierarchical pattern was predicted with the magnitude of training effects ordering themselves in descending order from near to far transfer measures. The training program was successful in enhancing performance on the fluid-nearest measure on all three posttests and for the next fluid-near measure on the first posttest. In addition, significant retest effects resulted which, however, were neither task-specific nor hierarchically ordered, but general and therefore indicative of ability-extraneous factors, such as test sophistication. The findings contribute to a position implying that intellectual performance in old age is more modifiable through short-term behavioral intervention than traditionally assumed.
本研究的目的是探讨老年受试者的流体智力在多大程度上可以得到改善。通过使用迁移范式以及在训练后大约1周、1个月和6个月进行的三次训练后评估，比较15名实验组和15名对照组受试者（平均年龄：69岁；年龄范围59 - 85岁）的训练后表现，评估了一项旨在提高流体智力的一个主要组成部分——图形关系的认知训练计划的有效性。在三项近迁移（流体智力）和一项远迁移（晶体智力）测量指标上比较了两组的训练后表现。预测会出现一种分层模式，即训练效果的大小按从近迁移到远迁移测量指标的顺序递减排列。该训练计划成功地提高了所有三次后测中最接近流体智力的测量指标的表现，以及第一次后测中次接近流体智力的测量指标的表现。此外，还产生了显著的重测效应，然而，这些效应既不是特定于任务的，也不是分层排列的，而是普遍的，因此表明存在能力无关因素，如测试熟练度。这些发现支持了这样一种观点，即与传统假设相比，通过短期行为干预，老年人的智力表现更具可改变性。
