TY - JOUR
T1 - Age differences in mental rotation task performance
T2 - The influence of speed/accuracy tradeoffs
AU - Hertzog, C.
AU - Vernon, M. C.
AU - Rypma, Bart
PY - 1993
Y1 - 1993
N2 - Young and old subjects performed a mental rotation task with a within- subject instructional manipulation of speed/accuracy criteria. The three sets of instructions emphasized speed, accuracy, or both speed and accuracy equally. Both age groups changed reaction time (RT) in response to instructions, but there was no Age x Instruction interaction. Whereas young subjects showed decreases in accuracy with decreasing RT, older adults showed relatively stable levels of accuracy with decreasing RT, suggesting that young subjects were more willing to sacrifice accuracy for improvement in speed. Speed/accuracy operating characteristics for the two groups did not overlap, suggesting that age differences in response criteria cannot completely account for age differences in mental rotation performance.
AB - Young and old subjects performed a mental rotation task with a within- subject instructional manipulation of speed/accuracy criteria. The three sets of instructions emphasized speed, accuracy, or both speed and accuracy equally. Both age groups changed reaction time (RT) in response to instructions, but there was no Age x Instruction interaction. Whereas young subjects showed decreases in accuracy with decreasing RT, older adults showed relatively stable levels of accuracy with decreasing RT, suggesting that young subjects were more willing to sacrifice accuracy for improvement in speed. Speed/accuracy operating characteristics for the two groups did not overlap, suggesting that age differences in response criteria cannot completely account for age differences in mental rotation performance.
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U2 - 10.1093/geronj/48.3.P150
DO - 10.1093/geronj/48.3.P150
M3 - Article
C2 - 8482825
AN - SCOPUS:0027154669
SN - 0022-1422
VL - 48
SP - P150-P156
JO - Journals of Gerontology
JF - Journals of Gerontology
IS - 3
ER -