Locus of the Age-Stroop Interference Relationship

Abstract

ABSTRACT Age differences in the Stroop were investigated via an internal analysis of the task. Participants were 81 community-living individuals representing two distinct age categories: young adults (M age = 19.70, SD = 1.36) and older adults (M age = 73.39, SD = 5.45). Consistent with previous research, older adults were slower in responding to all Stroop cards and demonstrated a more dramatic Stroop interference effect than young adults, regardless of sex. Regarding the age-Stroop effect, analysis supported the interference, response-competition hypothesis. Subsequent analyses indicated response dominance was related to Stroop interference for the young adults only. Thus, results suggest the Stroop interference effect reflects a different cognitive effect for older adults.