Effects of Item Difficulty on the Retrieval of Solutions during Cognitive Skill Acquisition: Age Differences

ABSTRACT

In cognitive skill learning, shifts to better strategies for obtaining solutions often occur while associations between problems and solutions are being strengthened. In two skill learning experiments, we examined the effects of item difficulty on the retrieval of solutions and the learning of problem–solution associations in younger and older adults. The results of both experiments demonstrated an ‘easy effect’ in both younger and older adults, such that the retrieval of solutions as well recognition memory for problems was best for the easier items. In addition, a ‘hard effect’ was found in younger adults, but not in older adults, whereby the retrieval of solutions as well as recognition memory for problems was better for harder items than for medium-difficulty items. The finding that increased computational demands at the item level delayed item memorization and the retrieval of solutions in older adults but not younger adults is consistent with a general-resources account of age-related differences in skill learning.