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Biomedical subjects

R J Ohta

Publications and source records attributed to R J Ohta.

4 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1981

Spatial perspective-taking ability in young and elderly adults.

Three experiments investigated spatial perspective-taking ability in young and elderly women. The three experiments differed with regard to the method by which subjects were initially familiarized with the experimental stimuli. Subjects were required to make decisions about the correctness of each of several types of slides presented to them. The amount of time required by subjects to make their responses was also obtained. The results show a smaller age difference in accuracy of performance when individual components of the stimulus array were examined in isolation (Experiment 2) than when the array was actually previewed from the perspective-taking positions (Experiment 1). Furthermore, a combination of the two methods of familiarization (Experiment 3) did not reduce the age difference in accuracy of performance beyond that obtained by the examination of individual components alone. Age differences in reaction time for correct responses, however, steadily decreased between Experiments 1, 2, and 3. These results raise the possibility that cognitive systems associated with storing and retrieving spatial information may decline more rapidly across the adult life span than cognitive systems involved in the construction of unviewed spatial information.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

Auditory acuity and performance on the mental status questionnaire in the elderly.

The relationship between auditory acuity and performance on the Mental Status Questionnaire (MSQ, Kahn et al) was investigated in 27 residents of two skilled nursing facilities. Statistically significant correlations between auditory acuity and MSQ total scores were obtained at 500 Hz, 1000 Hz, 2000 Hz, 3000 Hz, 4000 Hz, and 6000 Hz, but not at 8000 Hz. The correlations between auditory acuity and individual item scores, however, were statistically significant for only those items for which nursing home personnel believed the opportunity existed for residents to her the answers. These findings are interpreted as providing strong support for a causal relationship between sensory acuity and test performance, indicating that the cognitive capabilities of elderly persons can be underestimated because of their reduced sensory acuity.

Aged↗