Affiliation: 

Freie Universität Berlin and Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montreal, Canada

Abstract: 

Learning and decision-making abilities change substantially across the human lifespan. However, the underlying computational and neurobiological mechanisms are poorly understood. In this talk I will present data from recent studies on age differences in learning and decision-making from childhood to old age. I will start with work that suggests that ageing-related deficits in goal-directed learning result from deficient representations of latent task structures. I will then talk about how children and older adults learn under uncertainty and how they adapt their beliefs to changes in the environment. Finally, I will show data on social influences on learning and decision-making and how these influences change across development. I will conclude with theoretical considerations on the mechanisms underlying lifespan developmental changes in learning and provide an outlook on potential applications of this research in the educational and health sector.

WEBEX-Link: https://fu-berlin.webex.com/fu-berlin-en/j.php?MTID=m1f7ad844217975c234b8ee1ca202f80a