Ten young and 10 older adult females, who were all right-eye and right
-hand dominant, performed a switch-press and a hitting coincidence ant
icipation timing task on a Bassin Anticipation Timing apparatus with s
timulus speeds of 4, 8, and 12 mph. Level of experience with open skil
ls was determined by a self-report questionnaire, and all participants
were screened on six visual characteristics using the Biopter Vision
Test. Unlike the young adults, older adults reported no substantial ex
perience with open skills. Prior experience with open skills was found
to have little effect on the different dependent variables. Nonethele
ss, young females performed with less absolute and variable error than
older females. Our data suggest that older females' perceptual and mo
tor systems are differentially affected by manipulations of task and s
timulus characteristics.