TY - GEN A1 - Baltes, Paul B. A1 - Dittmann-Kohli, Freya A1 - Kliegl, Reinhold T1 - Reserve capacity of the elderly in aging-sensitive tests of fluid intelligence : replication and extension N2 - Fluid intelligence belongs to that cluster of intellectual abilities evincing aging loss. To examine further the range of intellectual reserve available to aging individuals and the question of replicability in a new cultural and laboratory setting, 204 healthy older adults (mean age = 72 years; range = 60-86) participated in a short-term longitudinal training study. For experimental subjects, 10 sessions consisted of cognitive training involving two subability tests (Figural Relations, Induction) of fluid intelligence. The pattern of outcomes replicates and expands on earlier studies. Older adults have the reserve to evince substantial increases in levels of performance in fluid intelligence tests. Transfer of training, however, is narrow in scope. Training also increases accuracy of performance and the ability to solve more difficult test items. Difficulty level was estimated in a separate study, with a comparable sample of N = 112 elderly adults. Future research is suggested to examine whether intellectual reserve extends to near-maximum levels of performance. T3 - Zweitveröffentlichungen der Universität Potsdam : Humanwissenschaftliche Reihe - paper 143 Y1 - 1986 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-39939 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Baltes, Paul B. A1 - Kliegl, Reinhold T1 - On the dynamics between growth and decline in the aging of intelligence and memory N2 - Content: - Different Intellectual Abilities Age Differently - Cultural Change and Interindividual Variability in Aging - Cognitive Intervention Research on Plasticity in Old Age * Psychological Evidence * Brain-Physiological Evidence - Age Differences and Testing-the-Limits - Conclusions - Summary T3 - Zweitveröffentlichungen der Universität Potsdam : Humanwissenschaftliche Reihe - paper 171 Y1 - 1986 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-41116 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Baltes, Paul B. A1 - Kliegl, Reinhold T1 - Further testing of limits of cognitive plasticity : negative age differences in a mnemonic skill are robust N2 - Earlier testing-the-limits research on age differences in cognitive plasticity of a memory skill was extended by 18 additional assessment and training sessions to explore whether older adults were able to catch up with additional practice and improved training conditions. The focus was on the method of loci, which requires mental imagination to encode and retrieve lists of words from memory in serial order. Of the original 37 subjects, 35 (16 young, ranging from 20 to 30 years of age, and 19 older adults, ranging from 66 to 80 years of age) participated in the follow-up study. Older adults showed sizable performance deficits when compared with young adults and tested for limits of reserve capacity. The negative age difference was substantial, resistant to extensive practice, and applied to all subjects studied. The primary origin for this negative age difference may be a loss in the production and use of mental imagination for operations of the mind. T3 - Zweitveröffentlichungen der Universität Potsdam : Humanwissenschaftliche Reihe - paper 159 Y1 - 1992 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-40373 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Baltes, Paul B. A1 - Kliegl, Reinhold T1 - Lernen und Gedächtnis im Alter : über Plastizität und deren Grenzen T1 - Learning and memory in old age N2 - Gedächtnishöchstleistungen sind auch im Alter möglich. Dies konnte am Beispiel der »Methode der Orte« experimentell bestätigt werden. Hierbei hat sich gezeigt, daß das Gehirn über große kognitive Kapazitätsreserven verfügt. In einer speziellen Testmethode (»testing the limits«) zeigt sich aber im Hochleistungsbereich, trotz der grundsätzlichen Plastizität, ein altersbezogenes Nachlassen der Gedächtnismechanik. Offenbar gibt es biologische Grenzen in der Schnelligkeit der menschlichen Vorstellungskraft. Vielleicht gelingt es auf der Grundlage dieser Erkentnnis, einen zuverlässigen Markierungsindikator für das hirnphysiologische Altern zu finden. Daraus könnten sich auch neue Methoden zur Früherkennung von Demenzen ableiten lassen. N2 - A very high level of performance in memory is also possible in old age. This could be confirmed, for example, by experiments using the »method of loci«. It was shown that the human brain has available a large cognitive developmental reserve capacity. Nevertheless, a special method of assessment (»testing the limits«) revealed a robust age related decrease of memory mechanics at the high performance level despite this basic plasticity. Obviously, there are biologic limits of the speed of human imagination. Perhaps it will be possible to find a reliable marker of brainphysiologic aging based on this knowledge. Furthermore, new methods in early detection of dementias might be derived from the approach described. T3 - Zweitveröffentlichungen der Universität Potsdam : Humanwissenschaftliche Reihe - paper 150 KW - Lernen KW - Gedächtnis KW - Alter KW - Plastizität KW - Methode der Orte KW - Testing the limits KW - Demenz KW - Learning KW - memory KW - old age KW - plasticity KW - method of places KW - testing the limits KW - dementia Y1 - 1988 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-40277 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Baltes, Paul B. A1 - Kliegl, Reinhold T1 - Further testing of limits of cognitive plasticity : negative age differences in a mnemonic skill are robust Y1 - 1992 SN - 0012-1649 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Baltes, Paul B. A1 - Kliegl, Reinhold A1 - Dittmann-Kohli, Freya T1 - On the locus of training gains in research on the plasticity of fluid intelligence in old age N2 - Cognitive training research has shown that many older adults have a substantial reserve capacity in fluid intelligence. Little is known, however, about the locus of plasticity. Two studies were conducted to examine whether training gains in fluid abilities are critically dependent on experimenter-guided training and/or whether older adults can achieve similar improvements by themselves on the basis of cognitive skills already available in their repertoire. Several comparisons were made: (a) between test performances after trainer-guided training in ability-specific cognitive skills and after self-guided retest practice (without feedback), (b) between performances under speeded and power conditions of assessment, (c) between performances on easy and difficult items, and (d) between the relative numbers of correct and wrong answers. Results suggest that a large share of the training improvement shown by the elderly can plausibly be explained as the result of the activation and practice of cognitive skills already available in their repertoire. The results also have implications for educational practice, pointing to the appropriateness of strategies of self-directed learning for many elderly adults. T3 - Zweitveröffentlichungen der Universität Potsdam : Humanwissenschaftliche Reihe - paper 151 Y1 - 1988 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-40288 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Baltes, Paul B. A1 - Sowarka, Doris A1 - Kliegl, Reinhold T1 - Cognitive training research on fluid intelligence in old age : what can older adults achieve by themselves? N2 - Cognitive research on the plasticity of fluid intelligence has demonstrated that older adults benefit markedly from guided practice in cognitive skills and problem-solving strategies. We examined to what degree older adults are capable by themselves of achieving similar practice gains, focusing on the fluid ability of figural relations. A sample of 72 healthy older adults was assigned randomly to three conditions: control, tutor-guided training, self-guided training. Training time and training materials were held constant for the two training conditions. Posttraining performances were analyzed using a transfer of training paradigm in terms of three indicators: correct responses, accuracy, and level of item difficulty. The training programs were effective and produced a significant but narrow band of within-ability transfer. However, there was no difference between the two training groups. Older adults were shown to be capable of producing gains by themselves that were comparable to those obtained following tutor-guided training in the nature of test-relevant cognitive skills. T3 - Zweitveröffentlichungen der Universität Potsdam : Humanwissenschaftliche Reihe - paper 152 Y1 - 1989 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-40297 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Dittmann-Kohli, Freya A1 - Lachmann, Margic A1 - Kliegl, Reinhold A1 - Baltes, Paul B. T1 - Effects of cognitive training and testing on intellectual efficacy beliefs in elderly adults Y1 - 1991 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Dittmann-Kohli, Freya A1 - Lachmann, Margie E. A1 - Kliegl, Reinhold A1 - Baltes, Paul B. T1 - Effects of cognitive training and testing on intellectual efficacy beliefs in elderly adults N2 - Elderly adults (N = 116; average age = 73 years) were randomly assigned to one of four treatment groups varying in the amount of training and testing on fluid intelligence tests. They were compared before and after treatment on self-efficacy and utility beliefs for intelligence tests and everyday competence. Although both ability training and extended retest practice resulted in significant gains in objective test performance (Baltes, Kliegl, & Dittmann-Kohli, 1988), only ability training resulted in positive changes in self-efficacy. However, these changes were restricted to testrelated self-efficacy. Training had no impact on perceived utility or on everyday self-efficacy beliefs. Implications of the results are discussed with regard to interventions to increase intellectual self-efficacy in elderly persons. T3 - Zweitveröffentlichungen der Universität Potsdam : Humanwissenschaftliche Reihe - paper 157 Y1 - 1991 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-40351 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Kliegl, Reinhold A1 - Baltes, Paul B. T1 - Das Janusgesicht des Alters : über Wachstum und Abbau in Intelligenz und Gedächtnis N2 - Vier Forschungsansätze im Bereich der Altersintelligenz und des Altersgedächtnisses werden referiert: Untersuchungen (1) Uber unterschiedliche Altersverläufe intellektueller und kognitiver Prozesse, (2) über interindividuelle Variabilität und historischen Wandel, (3) über Plastizität und Reservekapazität und (4) über Leistungsgrenzen. Das Wesen der Altersintelligenz erschöpft sich nicht in einem Prozeß des Leistungsabfalls. Vielmehr treten sowohl Wachstum als auch Abbau und komplexe Wechselwirkungen zwischen beidem auf. Altersbedingter Abbau zeigt sich am ehesten an den Leistungsgrenzen der Grundmechanismen der Intelligenz. Wachstum kann in jenen Bereichen stattfinden, in denen Menschen Wissenssysteme weiterentwickeln und üben (Pragmatik der Intelligenz). Die Methode des Belastungstests (Testing-the-Limits oder Grenztesten) wird als eine Strategie vorgestellt, mit deren Hilfe Mechanismen positiver und negativer Veränderungen beim kognitiven Altern bestimmt werden können. Die Anwendung des kognitiven Belastungstests wird für die neuropsychologische Forschung, beispielsweise für Untersuchungen über die Altersdemenz, empfohlen. T3 - Zweitveröffentlichungen der Universität Potsdam : Humanwissenschaftliche Reihe - paper 169 Y1 - 1987 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-41096 ER -