Analyses of Response Time: Examining the Distribution and Intra-Individual Variability in People With Cognitive Decline

• In Event: Poster Session 7
  In Poster Session: Division D Section 2 Poster Session

Abstract

There are limitations in traditional analyses of central tendencies (e.g., ANOVA) of response time (RT) in documenting cognitive decline. We examined two new analytical approaches (i.e., intraindividual-variability analyses, ex-Gaussian distribution analyses) in capturing the characteristics of RT performance in cognitive task. The participants were 88 Chinese elderly people (48 normal, 40 mild cognitive impairment) and 51 young adults for comparison. Cognitive tasks with two kinds of trails being mixed were individually administered. The participants had to respond according to cues on the screen, with faster responses indicating better cognitive competence. Results supported the tail performance in the ex-Gaussian distribution and the intraindividual variability as potentially more sensitive indicators of early cognitive decline. These findings had important implications for cognitive researchers.

Authors

• Jianfang Chang, The Chinese University of Hong Kong

• Kit-Tai Hau, Chinese University of Hong Kong

• Chi-Shing Tse, Chinese University of Hong Kong

• Linda C.W. Lam, Chinese University of Hong Kong