EFFECTS OF AGE AND GENDER ON DISCRETE AND RECIPROCAL AIMING MOVEMENTS

Using a cross-sectional design, this study determined the time course of aging effects on rapid discrete and reciprocal aiming movements in men and women. A total of 80 men and 61 women in good health were clas sified into six age groups (25, 35, 45, 55, 65, and 75 years). The dis crete task required participants to make one discrete aiming movement, whereas the reciprocal task required a series of back-and-forth movem ents. Results indicated for both aiming tasks that greater age was str ongly associated with slower movement times. The significant interacti on between age and task indicated that the discrete task showed much l arger aging effects (54%) than the reciprocal task (25%). This finding is tentatively interpreted in terms of a reduced efficiency of ''on-l ine'' control processes.