Collaborative learning in older age: are there differences in performance when learning with a familiar or unfamiliar partner?

Prior research has shown that collaborating with another person can be more beneficial than learning alone, especially in older age. Collaboration often occurs in long-lasting relationships, such as spouses or friendships, and familiar partners can help each other remember. However, previous work on this topic has two potential issues. Firstly, this type of research often uses small samples to study collaborative learning, resulting in underpowered studies. Secondly, many studies compare types of collaborative relationships (e.g., familiar and unfamiliar) but do not include a (relevant) measure of individual performance. Our study will investigate whether collaborative learning is more beneficial than learning alone and whether the benefits of collaboration are dependent on the familiarity of the learning partner, in a larger sample than in previous studies (n = 96). Collaborative learning will be measured using the Barrier Task, while individual learning will be assessed using an adapted version of the Barrier Task. In addition, a series of cognitive measures will be included to assess cognitive functions such as executive functioning and memory. We expect to find that collaborative learning is more beneficial than learning alone, but that this effect is independent of familiarity (familiar partner versus stranger). Practically, this would translate into overall higher performance on the Barrier Task when participants learn together, regardless of the type of partner, and lower performance when learning alone.