Practice Effects on Fractionated Response Time Related to Age and Activity Level

Abstract

Two days of practice on simple and choice reaction (RT) and movement time (MT) were studied using 60 males placed into four groups based upon age and physical activity level. Practice effects upon simple and choice RTs were different for young and old groups. Only the two inactive groups improved on simple and choice MT, with greatest improvement occurring on simple MT. Old Actives had true-score variance on simple RT more similar to Young Actives than to their own age category counterparts. On choice RT, Old Actives had smaller true-score variance than the Old Inactives, but much greater than the two young groups. Intraindividuaf variability was greater for the two older groups even in the absence of practice effects. Results support the claim that a life style of regular physical activity may lessen aging effects upon RT and MT as well as attenuating interindividual variability.