The idea that you can teach an old dog new tricks has long been debated, but what does the science say about learning in adults versus children? A recent study sheds light on how our ability to acquire and retain new motor skills evolves as we age. Spoiler alert: it’s not just about practice—it’s also about sleep.
As someone rapidly approaching a milestone birthday, the notion of learning new skills may seem a bit like the “I’m too old for this” excuse kicking in. And while this study on motor skill acquisition doesn’t quite address my age group directly, it does offer some insights into how different age brackets learn and retain skills.
The research, which focuses on motor skill acquisition and retention, set out to challenge the common belief that prepubescent children have a distinct advantage over older teens and adults when it comes to learning physical tasks. The team wanted to measure how well participants could learn motor skills both during actual practice (“online” learning) and during sleep (“offline” learning), where memories consolidate.
The study noted two kinds of “online” learning: implicit learning, which happens without conscious effort, and explicit learning, which is more deliberate and strategic. While explicit learning can produce quick results, those gains are often short-lived. Implicit learning, on the other hand, is slower but tends to lead to longer-lasting improvements.
The team tested 132 subjects, ranging from children aged 8 to 10, to young adults aged 20 to 30. They tasked the participants with a computer-based visuo-motor accuracy tracking task (VATT), where they had to control pinch force on a lever to track a series of target boxes. To level the playing field, the task was made more difficult for adults, reflecting their higher dexterity.
After baseline testing, participants were trained in eight sessions with rest periods in between. Their performance was evaluated immediately after the session, and then again after a 10-minute break and 24 hours later, to assess both “online” and “offline” learning. The results were fascinating.
While all age groups showed similar levels of overall learning, the youngest participants (aged 8-10) struggled with learning during the session itself. However, they exhibited remarkable improvement overnight, without any further practice. In contrast, the adults showed initial gains during the session, but those gains rapidly decayed after a night’s rest. This suggests that children and young teens benefited significantly from the “offline” phase—sleep—allowing them to retain more of what they had learned.
The study’s authors conclude that adults tend to show quick learning during practice that fades over time, while children’s slower initial progress is more durable, and they can experience offline gains in performance after a night’s sleep.
Interestingly, the researchers didn’t explore the role of motivation, which could be a key factor in real-world learning. For instance, adults who are motivated to learn something for their own personal enjoyment—such as picking up an instrument later in life—may see better results than children who are simply required to practice something they don’t enjoy. In my own experience, returning to the piano as an adult, with a clearer idea of the music I wanted to play, led to faster progress than during my forced childhood lessons.
In fairness, the study’s choice of the spring-loaded lever and target boxes seems rather uninspiring, and it’s unlikely anyone of any age would feel particularly motivated to excel at such a task. But the findings are clear: when it comes to learning, age may not be as much of a barrier as we often think.
In the end, whether you’re a child or an adult, you can still teach yourself new tricks—it just might take a little more patience, and perhaps a good night’s sleep.
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