Surveys of Internet use and psychological well-being completed by 178 young and 218 older adults found differences on dimensions of well-being. All younger and 18% of older adults used the Internet. There was no significant correlation between Internet use and well-being. Older Internet users had higher incomes and educational attainment and…

Groups of 40 older and 40 younger adults were tested using cue sets of 25 U.S. states and 25 movie stars. No overall differences in total recall appeared. Those who did not study cues had better recall of noncued items. Younger adults performed better on noncued sets, older adults on the cued condition for movie stars. (SK)

Adults aged 18-34 (n=20) and 61-77 (n=20) read 4 expository and 4 narrative passages. Both groups read narrative more quickly, with greater recall. Reading times of older adults were hindered more by expository text. Regulation of understanding was affected by text genre, and ability to reread selectively was more critical to expository text…

Examined the relationship between age and curiosity (as measured by surprise, perceived value, and desire for additional knowledge) in young, middle-aged, and older adults (N=100). Results showed a positive relationship between perceived value and desire for additional knowledge in young and middle-aged adults but not for older adults. (BH)

Younger (n=40) and older (n=40) adults received information on either familiar or unfamiliar diseases and answered questions about it. Older adults learned less regardless of familiarity or type of memory test. Both older and younger participants learned less new information about familiar diseases. (Contains 30 references.) (SK)

Younger (n=41, ages 18-27) and older (n=39, ages 55-85) adults were given rare words to define. Older adults gave more complete definitions and had higher vocabulary test scores, but lower working memory scores. For older adults existing vocabulary knowledge contributed more than working memory to the ability to derive meaning from context. (SK)

Undergraduates (n=226), graduate students (n=44) and independent-living older adults (n=59) rated factors contributing to successful aging. Social/familial relationships, intrinsic values, financial concerns, accomplishments, and cognitive functioning rated highest. The only age differences were older adults' higher ratings of financial concerns…

Assessed age differences in making inferences from prose. Older adults correctly answered mean of 10 questions related to implicit information and 8 related to explicit information. Young adults answered mean of 7 implicit and 12 explicit information questions. In spite of poorer recall of factual details, older subjects made inferences to greater…

Palmore's Facts on Aging Quiz, Knowledge of Aging and the Elderly scale, and Aging Semantic Differential were completed by 387 college students aged 17-85. Knowledge scores were not related to measures of attitudes toward older adults. Older students had higher knowledge scores and more positive attitudes. (SK)

A group of 45 people over age 50 attempted to solve the Bridges of Konigsberg problem, which has no solution. No age differences were found in time spent on task; performance was not related to IQ test performance or length of education. Results suggest that perseverance is unaffected by aging. (SK)

Fifty older and 50 younger adults with varying familiarity with standard keyboards performed 3 trials with the Dvorak keyboard. Older participants performed worse, but there was no relationship between age and familiarity. The amount of new information and not preexperimental interference from prior knowledge may account for age differences. (SK)

Adults with graduate education (60 aged 23-25, 60 aged 61-84) completed comprehension tasks on expository and narrative texts. Score on the Metacomprehension Knowledge Scale reliably predicted performance and self-perception of their comprehension. Age differences involved different components of metacomprehension. Metacomprehension predicted…

Reports findings from a study of dislocated workers' (N=233) experiences with retraining after job loss including whether the experience differed as a function of life stage. Findings offered some support for the notion that interpreting a life experience, such as returning to school, is at least partially a function of life stage. (Author/ABL)

Investigated whether learning style was related to gender and age among Elderhostel participants (N=103). Results indicated that gender was related to learning style; age and learning style were not related. Females scored higher than males on Abstract Random Channel; males scored higher than females on Abstract Sequential Channel. Both genders…

Tested both superior and average-ability subjects (N=112) from contrasting educational settings to examine the apparent decline in vocabulary skills of older adults. Results showed older adults performed better than the young, judged by either standard or qualitative criteria. (BH)