Moving Backgrounds Confer Age-Related Positional Uncertainty on Flash-Grab Targets. (September 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Anstis, Stuart
• Is Part Of: I-Perception. Volume 10:Number 5(2019)
• Publication Date: 2019-09
• Subjects: motion -- flash-lag -- flash-grab -- illusions -- aging -- uncertainty; Perception -- Periodicals; Visual perception -- Periodicals; Perception; Perception; Electronic journals; Periodical; Fulltext; Internet Resources; Periodicals; Periodicals; 153.7
• DOI: 10.1177/2041669519879178
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2041-6695

Abstract

The flash-grab effect made a stationary flashing cross appear to jump back and forth through a distance of more than 2°. Observers were asked to move a cursor as quickly as possible on to this flashing target. All observers younger than 65 years, and 39% of those over 65 years, could do this without difficulty within 1 second to 2 seconds. But 61% of those over 65 years experienced uncertainty about the exact position of the target and took from 6 to 147 seconds to hit it—about 4 times longer than to hit an actually jumping cross. This loss of hand–eye coordination was probably perceptual, not motor.