Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Anisms Underlying Improvement Of Peripheral Visual Processing In Older Adults, David Ball

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The aim of this project was to examine the effects of perceptual learning, or practice, on the vision of older adults. Previous findings had indicated that older adults have restricted functional visual fields, but that practice in detecting peripheral targets can substantially improve their performance. Two possible explanations for poorer performance in the older age groups were examined: 1) slowed speed of central perceptual processing and 2) attentional deficit problems. Six observers in each of three age groups were tested and trained in performing a peripheral localization task while performing a concurrent central task. A progressive loss in the functional …