Assessing the validity of computer-game-like tests of processing speed and working memory.

Processing speed (Gs) and working memory (WM) tasks have received considerable interest as correlates of more complex cognitive performance measures. Gs and WM tasks are often repetitive and are often rigidly presented, however. The effects of Gs and WM may, therefore, be confounded with those of motivation and anxiety.

Endogenous testosterone levels, mental rotation performance, and constituent abilities in middle-to-older aged men.

Evidence from both human and animal studies suggests that gonadal steroids, such as testosterone, exert activational effects on adult spatial behavior. Endogenous testosterone levels decline gradually but variably as men age; it remains to be shown whether these decreases are associated with age-related declines in visuo-spatial performance or constituent abilities indicative of generalized age-related cognitive decline. Ninety-six healthy, community dwelling men aged between 38 and 69 years completed the Vandenberg and Kuse Mental Rotation Test (MRT) together with a battery of tests including processing speed, executive function, perceptual discrimination, working memory, and reaction time measures.

Gs invaders: assessing a computer game-like test of processing speed.

Computer games potentially offer a useful research tool for psychology but there has been little use made of them in assessing cognitive abilities. Two studies assessing the viability of a computer game-like test of cognitive processing speed are described. In Experiment 1, a computerized coding task that uses a mouse responsemethod (McPherson & Burns, 2005) was the basis for a simple computer game-like test.

Perceptual learning on inspection time and motion perception.

Perceptual learning on simple perceptual tasks is interpreted as plasticity of neuronal populations in the sensory cortex (M. Fahle & T. Poggio, 2002).

A speeded coding task using a computer-based mouse response.

This study assessed whether a speeded coding task that used a computer-based mouse response (CBMR) format was a measure of general processing speed (Gs). By analyzing the task within a network of tasks representing both traditional Gs tests and reaction time tasks, it was shown that a CBMR test can be used to measure the same construct as traditional paper-and-pencil (PP) tests and that this response format does not introduce variance associated with psychomotor performance. Differences between PP and CBMR formats were observed, and it is argued that these may provide information on individual differences in performance not available from traditional coding tests.

The role of item extremity in the emergence of keying-related factors: an exploration with the life orientation test.

Keying-related factors in psychological scales are variously interpreted substantively or as products of violations of the assumptions underlying item keying. The present study investigated whether the extremity of the wording of items may contribute to the emergence of item-keying factors in a commonly used psychological scale. Respondents (N = 277) completed the Life Orientation Test (M.