Paul E. Panek

Individual Differences in Information-Processing Ability as a Predictor of Motor Vehicle Accidents:

The objectives of this investigation were two-fold: to replicate and extend prior research that has provided evidence to support the use of information-processing measures as potential indices for predicting motor vehicle accident involvement and to test a newly developed measure of visual selective attention for predicting accident involvement. Seventy-two drivers (aged from 28 to 59) were tested on three measures of information processing. In accordance with prior research, performance on two measures of selective attention was significantly correlated with individual accident rates. Information-processing measures are discussed with regard to their possible use in the prediction of motor vehicle accidents.

Locus of the Age-Stroop Interference Relationship

ABSTRACT Age differences in the Stroop were investigated via an internal analysis of the task. Participants were 81 community-living individuals representing two distinct age categories: young adults (M age = 19.70, SD = 1.36) and older adults (M age = 73.39, SD = 5.45). Consistent with previous research, older adults were slower in responding to all Stroop cards and demonstrated a more dramatic Stroop interference effect than young adults, regardless of sex. Regarding the age-Stroop effect, analysis supported the interference, response-competition hypothesis. Subsequent analyses indicated response dominance was related to Stroop interference for the young adults only. Thus, results suggest the Stroop interference effect reflects a different cognitive effect for older adults.

Age differences in perceptual style, selective attention, and perceptual-motor reaction time

One hundred seventy-five females ranging in age from 17 to 72 years, who were placed into one of seven age groups, were administered tasks measuring perceptual style, selective attention, simple choice, and complex reaction time. Multivariate and univariate analysis indicated there were significant differences between the age groups for all dependent measures. Trends manifest in the data suggest significant declines on the investigated information-processing ability measures begin in the late-40s. This finding appears to indicate an over-all general decline on all information-processing variables rather than selective drop-out of abilities. Theoretical and applied implications of the results are discussed.

SUBJECT RECRUITMENT BIAS: THE PAID VOLUNTEER SUBJECT

To assess the potential bias introduced by subject recruitment procedures, differences in perceptual style, personality, and performance on an auditory selective attention task were investigated for a sample of 47 female, volunteer research participants. Half of the subjects (N = 24) had been recruited as unpaid volunteers while the others (N = 23) received

Age differences in field-dependence/independence

2.50 per hour for their participation. Stepwise discriminant analysis indicated that unpaid volunteers tended to be significantly more interpersonal in orientation, were more field-dependent, and committed fewer omission errors on a selective attention task than subjects who had volunteered for pay. The findings were discussed in terms of the problems associated with generalizing from one sample to other samples and to the criterion population as a function of experimental boundary conditions.

Cautiousness and visual selective attention performance among older adults

The present study investigated age and sex differences in field-dependence/independence controlling statistically for IQ. The Group Embedded Figures Test and Quick Test were administered to 46 young adults, 22 male and 24 female (M age = 18.65 years) and 45 old adults, 22 male and 23 female (M age = 73.96 years). Results indicated significant age differences in field dependence/independence existed even after controlling statistically for intelligence. No significant sex differences were found in either age group; for young adults this is inconsistent with extensive research. Implications of results were discussed.

Intellectual and personality differences between community-living and institutionalized older adult females

Cautiousness has been implicated in the literature as a possible factor responsible for observed performance decrements among older adults in a number of research paradigms. This study sought to assess whether the speed and accuracy of performance on a perceptual-cognitive task (the Stroop Color-Word Interference Test) differed significantly for more and less cautious older adults. The participants (N = 41), ranging from 55 to 81 years of age, were classified as either more cautious (n = 20) or less cautious (n = 21) on the basis of their responses on a personality test. Results indicated that cautiousness among older adults was manifested more in terms of the accuracy of response (fewer errors of commission) than in terms of the speed of response, and that level of cautiousness increased with increasing age.

Behavioral Rigidity between Traditional and Nontraditional College Students

The purpose of the present study was to investigate simultaneously differences between normal institutionalized older adults and community-living older adults with respect to intelligence/cognitive test performance and personality. Participants were 25 community-living females (M age = 72.9 yrs, SD = 6.34) and 25 institutionalized females (M age = 80.0 yrs, SD = 6.46). Intellectual/cognitive ability was assessed by the WAIS, Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale (Form L-M), Ravens Coloured Progressive Matrices; personality was assessed by the Hand Test, a projective technique. Several multivariate analyses (discriminant analysis) were conducted. Results suggested that even when controlling for age and level of education, institutionalization appears to be associated with intellectual/cognitive as well as personality deficits. The findings were discussed in terms of the potential implications for the professional working with institutionalized older adults.

College Students' Perceptions of Job Demands, Recommended Retirement Ages, and Age of Optimal Performance in Selected Occupations.

The Test of Behavioral Rigidity was administered to a group of Traditional (age ≤ 22 years) and Nontraditional (age ≥ 25 years) college students to assess the significance of mean differences in rigidity scores between the groups. Analysis indicated significant differences between the groups on Personality-Perceptual Rigidity and the Composite Rigidity Quotient, with the Nontraditional students scoring as less rigid (more flexible). Within each group, women were significantly less rigid (more flexible) on Psychomotor Speed Rigidity and on the Composite Rigidity Quotient. Results argue against the belief that Nontraditional students find it difficult to adjust readily to new situations and tasks and that rigidity increases with age. Further, within both groups of students women scored as more flexible than men. Implications of these results for higher education are discussed.

Analysis of individual variability among older adults on the stroop color word interference test

Two studies were conducted. In study one 100 participants rated 60 occupations on the amount of cognitive/intellectual, physical, sensory-perceptual, and perceptual-motor demands they perceived as required for successful performance in that particular occupation. Results of a cluster analysis determined four clusters of occupations on the basis of the four demands. These clusters were described as High Risk, Professions, Skilled Trades, and White Collar. Further, for each of the four demands/dimensions, the cognitive/intellectual, physical, sensory-perceptual, and perceptual motor demands were significantly different both between and within clusters. In study two, 100 participants rated the perceived retirement age, and 99 different participants rated the perceived optimal performance age for the 60 occupations employed in study one. Results indicated that age norms for perceived recommended retirement and perceived optimal performance age were differentially correlated across the four clusters of occupations. Perceived retirement age and optimal performance age varied discriminably between occupational clusters.