Pretest activity and intellectual performance in middle-aged and older persons

Abstract

The present study investigated the effects of three conditions of pretest activity on the intellectual performance of 90 middle aged (50–61) and elderly (62–72) individuals. The Primary Mental Abilities Test was presented under three pertest conditions: physical, mental and physical, and no activity. Multi- and univariate analyses revealed significant age (or cohort) and sex differences in intellectual performance, but no significant pretest treatment effects. These results, when combined with similar recent findings of other investigators, indicate that pretest activity effects are less powerful than some widely cited previous research has suggested.