If a few decades ago, "the education received in school could be in most of the cases enough to go with for the rest of one's entire life," today the situation has changed dramatically. The individual has to be prepared for a new type of life and training, namely lifelong learning. The individual's survival in society could…

The purpose of the present study was to investigate incidental sequence learning across the lifespan. We tested 50 children (aged 7-16), 50 young adults (aged 20-30), and 50 older adults (aged >65) with a sequence learning paradigm that involved both a task and a response sequence. After several blocks of practice, all age groups slowed down…

Although memory inhibition seems to underlie retrieval-induced forgetting (RIF), there is some controversy about the precise nature of this effect. Because normal RIF is observed in people with deficits in executive control (i.e., older adults), some have proposed that an automatic-like inhibitory process is responsible for the effect. On the…

Within a communication predicament of aging and disability framework, this study examined the impact of two types of contextual variation on perceptions of older adult assertiveness within problematic service encounters. Young (N = 66) and older (N = 66) participants evaluated conversational scenarios in which a visually-impaired older woman…

Although younger people with more technological savvy are entering the work force, older people are staying in the workplace longer. Trainers must accommodate differences in learning styles when planning their programs. (JOW)

Research on logical competence in adulthood was framed by the general competence-moderator-performance model of life span cognitive development constructed by Overton and his colleagues. This approach was able to distinguish between logical knowledge necessary for task solution and informational processes that may facilitate or inhibit the…

Cohort differences in perceptions of age appropriate behavior during adulthood were examined. The specific question was to what degree members of three different cohort groups who share a common familial background differ on the degree of acceptance expressed regarding age appropriate behaviors. The sample consisted of three groups of women:…

Summarizes conclusions from research on sex and age differences in moral reasoning. Finds men focused on rights and women on responsiblity, and older adults better able to articulate their moral positions though no longer engaged in moral growth. Suggests changes in the content and pedagogy of moral education. (DMM)

The main theme of the conference was the politics of adult education research. The following papers from the conference are included in this compilation, following the opening address (Nisbet): "Some Tension Points in Adult Education Research" (Bryant and Usher); "Key Issues in Adult Education Research" (Gerver); "Some…

This study develops a literacy profile of Ontario's youth (ages 17-25) using data from the International Adult Literacy Survey (IALS). Following an introductory section, Section 2 provides a background on the IALS database and discusses key methodological issues. Section 3 presents an overview of basic literacy statistics. Section 4 compares…

Empire State College is envisioned as an institution capable of providing new approaches for adult students. The establishment of an adult learning center as a bridge for older students who wish to re-enter Empire State College is discussed. Empire State should maintain an orientation toward material that is educationally relevant to the adult…

This study was conducted to assess the educational needs of Wisconsin adults aged 16 years and older who had not graduated from and were not attending high school or had not received a high school equivalency credential. The project staff interviewed 1,680 Wisconsin residents who met these criteria by telephone, using computerized random digit…

Abstracts are presented of 33 research studies in adult education. An account of noncredit adult education program development at the University of Georgia, 1804 to 1968, is followed by summaries of papers in such areas as adult basic education, community development and education, management training and development, adult learning, attitudes and…

This book identifies skills and competencies that can empower adults throughout the life cycle. Part 1 focuses on the emerging adult. Chapter 1 contrasts new opportunities for adult living with the negative belief that the United States' best days are behind. Chapter 2 makes a case for a cyclical pattern for understanding adult life. Part 2…

This handbook introduces the reader to the National Longitudinal Surveys (NLS) research project and the various data sets that comprise the NLS. It is designed to assist readers in making an informed decision on whether the NLS is an appropriate data source for their research needs and to provide additional resources for those who desire more…