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Lookup NU author(s): Dr Bruce Charlton
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In a 2005 publication, Deary and Der presented data on both longitudinal and cross-sectional aging effects for a variety of reaction time measures among a large sample of the Scottish population. This dataset is reanalyzed in order to look for secular trends in mean simple reaction time performance. By extrapolating longitudinal aging effects from within each cohort across the entire age span via curve fitting, it is possible to predict the reaction time performance at the start age of the next oldest cohort. The difference between the observed performance and the predicted one tells us whether older cohorts are slower than younger ones when age matched, or vice versa. Our analyses indicate a significant decline of 36 ms over a 40-year period amongst the female cohort. No trends of any sort were detected amongst the male cohort, possibly due to the well-known male neuro-maturation lag, which will be especially pronounced in the younger cohorts. These findings are tentatively supportive of the existence of secular declines in simple reaction time performance, perhaps consistent with a dysgenic effect. On the basis of validity generalization involving the female reaction time decline, the g equivalent decline was estimated at -7.2 IQ points, or -1.8 points per decade.
Author(s): Woodley MA, Madison G, Charlton BG
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Mankind Quarterly
Year: 2014
Volume: 55
Issue: 1-2
Pages: 110-124
Print publication date: 01/01/2014
Acceptance date: 01/01/1900
ISSN (print): 0025-2344
Publisher: Scott - Townsend Publishers
URL: http://www.mankindquarterly.org/archive/issue/55-1/7
