IMAGINATION, COGNITION AND PERSONALITY, -2004 ASSESSING AGE DIFFERENCES IN SPATIAL ORIENTATION TASKS FOLLOWING MAP STUDY*

Aim of the present study is to investigate age effects on spatial orientation ability in a set of spatial orientation tasks following map study performed by three age groups: 20-30 years old, 60-69 years old and 70-80 years old. Results indicate that most of our tasks requiring landmark, route and survey knowledge are able to discriminate age decline. However, such discrimination ability is less evident when related to the level of performance between the two elderly groups. In previous research, tasks which seem to be particularly responsive in discriminating age decline are those showing a significant correlation with a set of Visuo-Spatial Working Memory (VSWM) measures. Such results suggest that age decline detected by our spatial orientation tasks following map study may be partially due to the associated decline of VSWM skills in elderly people. Previous research shows a decline as effects of age on a variety of spatial tasks. Most of the studies carried on in the last two decades have been concentrated o