Adult learning

A review of 46 titles, published within the last thirty years, under the headings: (1) methodology (three important problems imperfectly solved in this field are: random sampling, equalizing motivation, controlling initial ability); (2) learning ability (the weight of the evidence is that age beyond 20 affects the learning of meaningful verbal materials less adversely than sensory-motor learning or learning nonsense materials); (3) form of the learning curve (older subjects show less "adaptation" and more "facilitation"); (4) retention (evidence is conflicting); (5) transfer and inhibition (evidence is inconclusive); (6) reminiscence (it seems definitely established that amount of recall decreases with age). The survey does not cover immediate memory, as digit span or fidelity of report.