Age differences in estimating vehicle velocity.

C T Scialfa; L T Guzy; H W Leibowitz; P M Garvey; R A Tyrrell

doi:10.1037//0882-7974.6.1.60

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Age differences in estimating vehicle velocity.

C T Scialfa·L T Guzy·H W Leibowitz·P M Garvey·R A Tyrrell

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Abstract

Automobile accidents among older adults may be related to difficulties in judging the speed of other vehicles. To examine this possibility, 3 groups of observers in the young adult, middle-aged, and older adult age ranges were asked to estimate the velocity of an isolated automobile traveling at 15-50 mph (24-80 kph). Across all age groups, perceived and actual velocity were related by a power function with an exponent of 1.36. Age was significantly and positively correlated with intercepts, but negatively correlated with exponents; that is, older observers showed less sensitivity to changes in actual velocity. Results bear on the issues of ontogenetic changes in accident involvement and sensitivity to motion.

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Acceleration Accidents, Traffic Adult Aged Aging Automobile Driving Discrimination Learning Humans Middle Aged Motion Perception Psychophysics Risk Factors Journal Article Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

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C T Scialfa, L T Guzy, H W Leibowitz, P M Garvey, R A Tyrrell. 1991. Age differences in estimating vehicle velocity.. https://doi.org/10.1037/%2F0882-7974.6.1.60

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