Switching gears: Age-related differences in goal-directed and habitual behavior

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, M_age = 67.35, 15 female; younger: n = 25, M_age = 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. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).