Implicit learning enables individuals to acquire complex patterns without conscious awareness (Reber, 1967). Although generally preserved across the lifespan, older adults often show reduced performance when tasks involve complex sequences. Bilingualism, associated with enhanced executive functions and cognitive control, may provide a protective advantage. Two experiments used the nonverbal Serial Reaction Time (SRT) task (Nissen & Bullemer, 1987) with simple and complex visual sequences. Participants included 48 younger bilingual adults (aged 18–25; Cantonese–English), 51 older bilingual adults (aged 65–75; Cantonese–English), and 49 older monolingual adults (aged 65–75; Cantonese only). Results revealed no implicit learning effects among younger adults, likely due to ceiling performance. Monolingual older adults demonstrated slower responses over time, reflecting fatigue, whereas bilingual older adults showed improvement across blocks in the complex-sequence condition, indicating successful implicit learning. These findings show that bilingualism provides cognitive benefits beyond deliberate control, extending to unconscious detection of complex patterns and supporting flexible, adaptive learning in aging populations.

Authors:
Chui Luen Vera Hau, Hong Kong Metropolitan University, Hong Kong
Sara Tze Kwan Li, Hong Kong Metropolitan University, Hong Kong
Summer Cho Ngan Siu, Hong Kong Metropolitan University, Hong Kong

About the Presenter(s)
Dr. Chui Luen Vera Hau is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Hong Kong Metropolitan University. She is interested in Cognitive Neuroscience and is currently exploring factors contributing to human cognitive changes across the lifespan.

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