Training to Improve Collision Detection in Older Adults

Previous studies have indicated a decline in the ability of older adults to detect impending collisions. In addition, previous research has demonstrated that collision detection performance of college-aged participants can be improved with perceptual learning. The present study examined whether perceptual learning can improve performance of older participants on a collision detection task (N=12). The experiment was conducted over seven days with each day consisting of a 1-hr session. Thresholds for three observer speeds were measured prior to training using a two-alternative forced choice procedure during which participants indicated whether an approaching object would result in a collision or noncollision event. Participants were then trained near threshold at one of these speeds for 5 days. After training participants’ thresholds were measured again. Results indicate a significant reduction in the time needed to detect a collision for the trained condition as well as an untrained observer speed condition. Results demonstrate that collision detection performance for older participants can be improved with perceptual learning and may transfer to untrained observer speed