Dorien Bangma

FDM AND NORMAL AGING | 45 2011) and is used to assess intuitive and deliberative decision-making. This test is based on the theory that individuals who were distracted before they had to make a complex decision made significantly better decisions compared to individuals who made their decisions consciously and deliberately (Dijksterhuis, 2004; Dijksterhuis et al., 2006; Mikels et al., 2011). During the FDM-I/D participants are presented with information about attributes of four options of a hypothetical product (i.e., a boat, an apartment, a car and a flight ticket) of which they have to choose the best option. The attributes are either positively or negatively formulated and the options per product are designed in such a way that one option is the best product with 75% positive attributes. For two options the positive and negative attributes are equally represented, and the last option has only 25% positive attributes. During two trials (i.e., boat and apartment) participants were asked to base their decision on their intuition; i.e., participants are distracted for 2.5 minutes before they have to make a decision by performing a Go-NoGo test immediately after the presentation of the attributes. In the other two trials (i.e., car and flight ticket) participants are instructed to make their decision after deliberatively thinking about the positive and negative attributes during a period of 2.5 minutes. Participants received 0 points if they choose the best option, -25 points if they choose one of the options with 50% positive attributes and -50 points if they choose the option with only 25% positive attributes. A total score is calculated for intuitive-based and deliberative-based decisions by adding the scores on the intuitive-based trials and deliberative-based trials, respectively. Neuropsychological tests A neuropsychological assessment was performed to assess a wide range of cognitive functions, such as memory, attention, executive functions, psychomotor speed and numeracy. Several standardized, reliable and valid neuropsychological tests were used to assess these cognitive functions. Verbal short-term memory was examined with the Digit Span forward of Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale IV ( WAIS-IV – Digit Span forward; Wechsler, 2008, 2012) and with the immediate recall of the Dutch version of the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test ( RAVLT immediate recall; van der Elst et al., 2005). Verbal long-term memory was assessed with the RAVLT delayed recall; van der Elst et al., 2005). Psychomotor speed was assessed using the Trail Making Test – Part A ( TMT A; Reitan, 1958) and the Stroop Color-Word Test – Word Card ( Stroop card 1; van der Elst et al., 2006b). Selective attention was examined with the D2 Test of Attention (Brickenkamp, 2007; Brickenkamp & Zillmer, 1998) (target measures: D2 Concentration Performance and D2 Total Correct ). The following tests were used to assess different aspects of executive functioning: response inhibition – Color-Word Card/Color Card of the Stroop Color-Word Test ( Stroop card 3-2; van der Elst et al., 2006b); cognitive flexibility – Trail Making Test – Part B divided by Trail Making test – Part A ( TMT B/A; Reitan, 1958); Semantic alternating fluency test (i.e., alternating between names of places and clothes during 1 minute (Bouma et al., 2012) and Phonemic alternating fluency test (i.e., alternating between words starting with the letters K and O during 1 minute (Bouma et al., 2012); planning – Tower of London Test ( TOL ); working memory – WAIS-IV Digit Span backward and WAIS-IV Digit Span sorting (Wechsler, 2008, 2012); divergent thinking – Semantic fluency test (categories ‘Animals’ and ‘Professions’; each during 1 minute; Luteijn & Barelds, 2004) and Phonemic