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Journal article
Switching gears: Age-related differences in goal-directed and habitual behavior
Neuropsychology, Vol.39(4), pp.305-320
2025
PMID: 40029306
Appears in Thompson Institute Research Collection
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Abstract
Objective: The present study intended to improve understanding of cognitive factors contributing to age-related differences in cognitive ability to shift between goal-directed (i.e., purposeful) and habitual (i.e., automatic) behavior. Method: Fifty participants, divided into two age groups (older: n = 25, Mage = 67.35, 15 female; younger: n = 25, Mage = 20.84, 18 female), were included. They completed behavioral measures of mood and well-being, as well as a cognitive battery of measures related to memory, reaction time, and speed of processing. Goal-directed and habitual responding was measured using the symmetrical outcome-revaluation task. Response window lengths were varied with overall longer response windows for older (800 ms short/1,100 ms long) compared to younger adults (500 ms short/800 ms long). Independent sample t tests, mixed analyses of variance, and analyses of covariance were used to compare age groups on behavioral and cognitive measures and the symmetrical outcome-revaluation task. Results: When given short response windows, both age groups displayed a reliance on habitual behavior over goal-directed responding. Interestingly, when provided longer response windows, younger adults were able to update responding to exercise goal-directed behavior and significantly improved their task performance compared to older adults who continued to rely on incorrect habitual responses. Working memory did not appear to be a significant driver of performance differences. Conclusions: These findings provide a better understanding of the balance between goal-directed and habitual behaviors in aging, suggesting that age-related slowing and memory changes do not fully account for older adults’ reliance on habitual responding and warrant further research into practical implications of addressing healthy behavioral change in older adults.
Details
- Title
- Switching gears: Age-related differences in goal-directed and habitual behavior
- Authors
- Chelsea Hennessy - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Thompson InstituteThomas Pace - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Thompson InstituteRemy Blatch-Williams - UNSW SydneyTim van Timmeren - University of AmsterdamSanne de Wit - University of AmsterdamSophie C Andrews (Corresponding Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Thompson Institute
- Publication details
- Neuropsychology, Vol.39(4), pp.305-320
- Publisher
- American Psychological Association
- Date published
- 2025
- DOI
- 10.1037/neu0000997
- ISSN
- 1931-1559; 0894-4105
- PMID
- 40029306
- Copyright note
- This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0). This license permits copying and redistributing the work in any medium or format, as well as adapting the material for any purpose, even commercially.
- Organisation Unit
- Healthy Ageing Research Cluster; Graduate Research School; Thompson Institute; School of Health - Psychology
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 991108103102621
- Output Type
- Journal article
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- Domestic collaboration
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- Web Of Science research areas
- Neurosciences
- Psychology
- Psychology, Clinical
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