Abstract

Aging involves changes not only in our physical abilities but also in cognitive functions. In particular, cognitive control includes several cognitive sub-processes, such as inhibition, switching, and updating; thus, comparing cognitive control abilities between different age groups can help understand age-related changes in cognitive functions. This study utilized the task-switching paradigm to examine whether a switching cost varies with age. Unlike traditional studies, in which participants visit a lab and perform a task in controlled conditions, we adopted a web-based experimental procedure, in which participants completed the task using their computer or laptop at their convenience. This enabled collection of large data from various age populations within a short period of time. Adults aged 20 to 69 participated in the switching task. The results indicated three main effects; age, task transition, and task type. Also, task type interacted with participants’ age. The interaction suggests that older adults who experience cognitive decline invest more cognitive resources to the easier task out of the two tasks with a varying task difficulty. However, the size of the switching cost remained relatively constant across the age spectrum. These results suggest that, even though aging is associated with a general decline in cognitive control abilities, reactive control abilities remain intact throughout the adult lifespan.