Dependence of reaction time and movement speed on task complexity and age

The aim of this study was to determine the differences in reaction time, reaction complexity, and movement speed depending on age.

The study included 40 healthy subjects (20 young and 20 older women and men). The study was conducted at the Human Motorics Laboratory, Lithuanian Sports University. An analyzer DPA-1 of dynamic upper and lower limb movements was used for the research purposes.

The reaction time of the right arm of the young subjects was 0.26 s (SD, 0.01) and that of the left arm was 0.25 s (SD, 0.02), when an accuracy task was performed. The reaction time of the older subjects was 0.29 s (SD, 0.03) and 0.28 s (SD, 0.03) for the right and left arms, respectively. The reaction time of the right leg of the young subjects was 0.26 s (SD, 0.02) and that of the left leg was 0.27 s (SD, 0.03). The reaction time of the right and left legs of the older subjects was 0.33 s (SD, 0.02) and 0.35 s (SD, 0.04), respectively. The reaction of the young subjects was almost two times faster compared with the older persons after the accuracy task with each limb was accomplished.

In case of movements with arms and legs, reaction time and movement speed directly depend on the complexity of a task. Reaction time and movement speed are slower for the older subjects in comparison with the young ones; the results worsen in proportion to the increasing complexity of a task.