The proposal is for a five year mentored career development award (K01). The long term objective is for the applicant to receive training in cognitive aging research in order to become an independent aging researcher. The training program enables the applicant to (1) become familiar with and further develop theoretical models of cognitive aging, (2) acquire methodological and quantitative skills for aging research, and (3) get hands-on experience in conducting aging research. These skills are necessary for the applicant to become an independent aging researcher. In addition to the specific career development plan, the proposed research will substantially add to the field of cognitive aging through (1) the application of on-line methodologies for sentence processing, (2) filling a gap in the literature with basic research on the effects of aging on subject-verb agreement, (3) examining untested predictions from theoretical models of cognitive aging and (4) identifying whether fundamental linguistic processes in comprehension and production are spared or impaired in old age. Moreover, little on-line sentence production or agreement research has been conducted with older populations, even though current theories of aging make clear predictions. The applicant's demonstrated strengths in conducting this line of research with young adults will provide a solid foundation for mentored training in aging research.
| Haskell, Todd R; Thornton, Robert; Macdonald, Maryellen C (2010) Experience and grammatical agreement: statistical learning shapes number agreement production. Cognition 114:151-64 |
| MacDonald, Maryellen C; Thornton, Robert (2009) When language comprehension reflects production constraints: resolving ambiguities with the help of past experience. Mem Cognit 37:1177-86 |
