Auditory and visual cues in sequence learning: comparing typically developing children and adults
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Abstract
One of the many ways learning can be achieved is through implicit learning. The current study explored the effect of vision and the combination of vision and audition when learning a commonly used implicit learning sequence task. Changes in median reaction time provided an index of implicit learning. Eighteen typically developing children 7–9 years-old and twenty adults 18–35 years-old completed a sequencing task in either a visual-only or audio-visual condition where they responded to images on a screen using a button response box. Both groups learned the sequence implicitly demonstrated through decreased reaction times, where by comparison the adults consistently had faster reaction times. The child group demonstrated significant improvement in retention. In motor skill recall (auditory-only test), adults were able to cross modalities with greater accuracy and speed than the child group.