Smith G A, Brewer N
Br J Psychol. 1985 May;76 ( Pt 2):199-203. doi: 10.1111/j.2044-8295.1985.tb01943.x.
Rabbitt (1979, 1981) has argued that the slowing of choice RT performance with old age reflects less sensitive control over speed of responding. Based on the finding that old subjects' errors were as fast as young subjects', whereas their correct responses were much slower, Rabbitt suggested that old subjects often overshoot when trying to increase or reduce response speed. Data collected from a different serial, four-choice RT task in this experiment were not, however, consistent with Rabbitt's account. Error as well as correct RTs were longer in old than in young adults, with both showing similar increases with age. A post hoc examination of the aged subjects' data also indicated important individual differences within aged samples. Some subjects' RTs and error rates were no different from those of the young; other subjects' longer RTs and lower error rates were consistent with an increased emphasis on accuracy.
拉比特（1979年、1981年）认为，随着年龄增长，选择反应时任务表现变慢反映出对反应速度的控制不够灵敏。基于老年受试者的错误反应与年轻受试者一样快，而正确反应却慢得多这一发现，拉比特提出老年受试者在试图加快或减慢反应速度时常常会反应过度。然而，在本实验中从另一个系列的四选一反应时任务收集的数据并不支持拉比特的观点。老年成年人的错误反应时和正确反应时都比年轻成年人更长，二者都随年龄增长呈现出相似的增加趋势。对老年受试者数据的事后分析还表明，老年样本中存在重要的个体差异。一些受试者的反应时和错误率与年轻人无异；另一些受试者较长的反应时和较低的错误率则与更注重准确性相一致。
