Age and Information Processing: An Application of Sternberg's Additive Factor Method

摘要

Previous research suggests the encoding stage of central information processing as the locus of differences in choice reaction time between younger and older subjects. An experiment was conducted to test whether this could be confirmed using Sternberg's Additive Factor Method. Two groups of subjects (mean ages 23 and 64) performed a four-choice reaction time task in which reaction time and movement time were the response measures. Independent variables were stimulus intensity, stimulus-response compatibility, foreperiod duration and age. Results showed additivity of the effects of the first three variables which is in line with earlier research findings. Age had a main effect and a marginal interaction with stimulus intensity. With regard to movement time the results suggest that compared with younger subjects, elderly subjects may have more problems in separating the processing of information from the execution of the response.