Citation

Bunce D, Birdi K. Appl. Cogn. Psychol. 1998; 12(1): 21-34.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1998, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1002/(SICI)1099-0720(199802)12:1<21::AID-ACP484>3.0.CO;2-I

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Findings from research examining the moderating influence of physical fitness on age-related declines in speeded cognitive tasks have been inconsistent. This may, in part, be due to a failure to take into account the varying demands placed upon individuals by different psychomotor tasks. Additionally, it is rare for studies to consider the motor function in relation to age and physical fitness. These factors were examined in a sample of employed men aged between 22 and 64 years. Multiple regression analyses identified statistically significant Age×Fitness interactions in respect to unusually slow latencies, or blocks, in choice responding at higher levels of task demand. Significant Age×Fitness interactions were also found in predictions of motor performance, although that variable did not account for all of the variance explained in psychomotor measures. It is concluded that Age×Fitness interactions are most likely in situations of high task demands and that limitations in attentional capacity may underlie those interactions. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Language: en