Comparisons of psychomotor performance between the upper and lower extremities in three age groups
Abstract
Decreasing speed of foot movement is a serious perceptual-motor impairment for older individuals such as in walking and driving. The present study examined the relationship between age and psychomotor performance for upper vs lower extremities. A visual stimulus was used to measure the speed of finger and foot movement responses, i.e., choice reaction time and total response time. 32 healthy persons, ranging in age from 9 to 75 years, were divided into three groups: ages 9-10, ages 20-30, and age 60 and above. A 3 (age group) × 2 (test: finger vs foot) two-way analysis of variance on converted Z scores indicated a significant effect on age group and an interaction between test and age group. While the elderly group showed poorest over-all performance, their lower extremity response was identified to be relatively slower than their upper-extremity response.
Publication Title
Perceptual and Motor Skills
Recommended Citation
Li, Y., McColgin, C., & Van Oteghen, S. (1998). Comparisons of psychomotor performance between the upper and lower extremities in three age groups. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 87 (3 PART 1), 947-952. https://doi.org/10.2466/pms.1998.87.3.947
