AN ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION OF RESEARCH IN COGNITION AND LEARNING AMONG OLDER ADULTS

Abstract

Abstract This paper reviews research literature to determine what findings, if any, have direct implications for educational programs for elderly persons; what findings have little or no application to such programs and what additional research is indicated in order to answer critically relevant practical questions. The paper is focused primarily on research literature on cognition and learning in later life, predominantly work published during the past two decades in major professional journals and psychological handbooks on aging or on developmental psychology. The analysis presented herein shows that, in general, researchers fall far short of providing useful information to practitioners in the field of education for elderly persons. The generalizability of recent research on cognition and learning is extremely limited. It is strongly suggested that though laboratory research on cognition and learning is a first step in gathering information about the subject, it must be followed by research conducted ...