Toggle Main Menu Toggle Search

Open Access padlockePrints

The Newcastle University research output collection, currently available on ePrints, will shortly be moving to a new open repository platform, Figshare. To prepare for the data migration we have paused adding new content to ePrints, and will resume once the new repository is launched. During this time you will continue to have access to ePrints (but no new content will appear). We will share updates here when available.

Possible dysgenic trends in simple visual reaction time performance in the Scottish Twenty-07 cohort: A reanalysis of Deary & Der (2005)

Lookup NU author(s): Dr Bruce Charlton

Downloads

Full text for this publication is not currently held within this repository. Alternative links are provided below where available.

Abstract

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.

Publication metadata

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

Share