Aging and the discrimination of object weight.
A single experiment was carried out to evaluate the ability of younger and older observers to discriminate object weights. A 2-alternative forced-choice variant of the method of constant stimuli was used to obtain difference thresholds for lifted weight for twelve younger (mean age = 21.5 years) and twelve older (mean age = 71.3 years) adults. The standard weight was 100 g, whereas the test weights ranged from 85 to 115 g. The difference thresholds of the older observers were 57.6% higher than those of the younger observers: the average difference thresholds were 10.4% and 6.6% of the standard for the older and younger observers, respectively. The current findings of an age-related deterioration in the ability to discriminate lifted weight extend and disambiguate the results of earlier research.
Norman
J Farley
JF
Department of Psychology, 1906 College Heights Blvd. #21030, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, Kentucky 42101-1030, USA. Farley.Norman@wku.edu
Norman
Hideko F
HF
Swindle
Jessica M
JM
Jennings
L RaShae
LR
Bartholomew
Ashley N
AN
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D004192:Discrimination, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012684:Sensory Thresholds / Q000502:physiology; D014892:Weight Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult