JO URNA L O F APPLIED DEVELO PMENTA L PSYC HO LO G Y 2, 247-265 (1981) zyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZYXWVUTSRQ Training Research4n Aging on the Fluid Ability of Inductive Reasoning* ROSEMARY BLIESZNER SHERRY L. WILLIS PAUL B. BALES College of Human Development The Pennsylvania State University The m o d ifia b ility o f o ld e r a d ults’ p e rfo rm a nc e on Induction tasks was examined_ thro ug h c o g nitive tra ining . The p o sttra ining p e rfo rm a nc e o f 5 2 o ld e r a d ults (X age = 70.3 years) was assessed with regord to a tra nsfe r- o f- tra ining paradigm a nd m a inte na nc e o f tra ining effects at three posttests (one week, one month, six m o nths). A p a tte rn o f d iffe re ntia l tra ining tra nsfe r a c ro ss the p o stte st b a tte ry o f fluid a nd c rysta llize d inte llig e nc e m e a sure s wa s p re d ic te d , with the la rg e st tra in- ing e ffe c ts e xp e c te d fo r ne a r tra nsfe r (Ind uc tio n) m e a sure s. The p re d ic te d p a tte rn o f tra ining tra nsfe r was obtained at one-week ond one-month p o stte sts, with sig nific a nt tra ining e ffe c ts to the ne a re st Ind uc tio n m e a sure . La rg e re te st (p ra c - tic e ) e ffe c ts a c ro ss p o stte sts a lso o c c urre d fo r tra ining a nd c o ntro l g ro up s. This re se a rc h c o ntrib ute s to the p o sitio n tha t m o d ifia b ility o f inte lle c tua l p e rfo rm a nc e thro ug h c o g nitive inte rve ntio n extends across the adult life span. INTRODUCTION Much research on adult intellectual functioning has focused on normative levels of performance (Botwinick, 1977; Horn, 1978; Matarazzo, 1972). Historically. *This study was conducted as part of a research program entitled the Adult Development and Enrichment Project (ADEPT), supported by a grant from the National Institute on Aging (No. 5-ROl-AGO0403) to Paul B. Baltes and Sherry L. Willis, co-investigators. ADEPT examined the effect of cognitive training on intellectual performance of older adults. Thanks are due to several research assistants (Steven Cornelius, Margie E. Lachman, Vincent Morello, Gail Peck, Brian Hofland, and Manfred Schmitt), to its field and training staff (Carolyn Nesselroade, and Myrtle Williams), and to statistical consultants (John R. Nesselroade, and Paul A. Games). Rosemary Blieszner was supported in part by a NIA Predoctoral Traineeship (T32-AGO048). Address requests for reprints to either Sherry L. Willis, College of Human Development, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA. 16802, or Paul B. Baltes, Max-Planck Institute of Human Development and Education, 94 Lentzeallee, 1 Berlin 33, West Germany. 247