Unusual results disproving the notion that Executive Function and Processing Speed declines as age increases using the Peg & Ball Task (Past Academic Essay)

This assignment is a formative partial lab report on the relationship between executive planning (measured by the peg and ball task) and age, when controlling for reaction times. The research conducted in this report was completed at Northumbria University between 2021-23.

Abstract

A theory is suggested to account for some of the age-related differences reported in Type A or fluid cognition measures. The fundamental assumption, in theory, is that a significant factor contributing to age-related differences in memory and other aspects of cognitive functioning is a reduction with increased age in the speed with which many cognitive operations can be executed. This experiment aims to assess the extent to which the association between age and executive function, as measured by the time taken to complete the peg and ball (aka ToL) task, can be explained by age-related

differences in processing speed as indexed by reaction time. It is hypothesised that Executive Function declines as age increases, in addition to Processing Speed declining as age increases. This will show that some of the relationships between age and executive function can be accounted for by age-related differences in reaction time.

Introduction

A theory is suggested to account for some of the age-related differences reported in Type A or fluid cognition measures. The fundamental assumption, in theory, is that a significant factor contributing to age-related differences in memory and other aspects of cognitive functioning is a reduction with increased age in the speed with which many cognitive operations can be executed. The goal is not to explain all determinants of cognitive functioning but to account for the differences in cognitive functioning that are systematically related to adult age. This experiment aims to assess the extent to which the association between age and executive function, as measured by the time taken to complete the peg and ball (aka ToL) task, can be explained by age-related differences in processing speed as indexed by reaction time. (Bishop, & Others, 2001) The Peg and Ball task, otherwise known as London Bridge, was developed by the psychologist Tim Shallice and it is a test of executive planning that assesses both the executive functioning of a participant and the processing speed of their decision making. (Piper, B.J., & Others, 2012) The test is completed by rearranging balls onto different pegs so that each peg has copied the desired image that has been given, using as few movements as possible. It is hypothesised that Executive Function declines as people age; this would be observed in the experiment as an older participant making more mistakes than a younger participant. It is also hypothesised that Processing Speed declines as people age, which would be observed as an older participant being slower at completing the task than a younger participant. From this information, it can therefore be hypothesised that some of the relationships between age and executive function can be accounted for by age-related differences in reaction time. The relationship between Peg and Ball completion time and age will be weakened once reaction times are accounted for.

Methodology

This will be executed by taking 121 participants, 35 females (Mage=38.03, SD= 11.49) and 86 males (Mage=40.83, SD= 10.78) who have been recruited via social media adverts and recruitment posters within a university campus. The criteria for these individuals are that they must be healthy, over 18, and not suffer from any conditions that would impair visual/cognitive functioning. They will be asked to complete the peg and ball task to measure executive control and choice reaction time task to measure reaction time via the Computerised Mental Performance Assessment System (COMPASS). The partial correlation will then be used to ask whether one variable (x) is related to another (y) whilst accounting for the effects of a third variable (z) on both x and y. As said prior, it has been suggested that the association between age (x) and peg and ball task completion times (y) can be accounted for by differing reaction times (z). This partial correlation will “partial out” the effect of reaction times; the remaining effect (r) will tell us about the association between age and peg & ball task time, without the confounding effect of reaction times. Moreover, r - now tells us about the strength of the association between x (age) and y (peg & ball completion time), with the effect of z (reaction time) removed.

Results

Data was collected from 121 participants (86 male, 35 female), aged from 21 to 60 years old (see table 1 for descriptive statistics). A zero-order Pearson’s correlation analysis (Table 1 and Appendix 1) showed a significant positive correlation between age and peg and ball execution time r (119) =.28, p = .002 (Figure 1). When reaction time was controlled (Appendix 2), this relationship remained significant but was attenuated, r (118) = .21, p = .019.

Discussion

Firstly, data was inserted into the program [SPSS], then Graphs were conducted from the data so that the Mean and the Standard Deviation could be concluded. Next, the data was analysed via Descriptive Statistics to output the table with the Mean (M), and Standard Deviation (SD). Following that, Pearson Correlation between Age and Peg & Ball Execution Time was needed to know the level of their correlation. In addition to this, the P value was needed to Know if it is significant or not significant (<P >, 0.05). Then Partial Correlation was required to understand the level of Correlation between Age and P&B Execution Time when the Reaction Time was the control variable, and to know if there is a significant P Value between those variables.

Pearson Correlation between Age and Execution Time

The Peg & Ball Task was performed in COMPASS to analyse the correlation between Peg & Ball Execution Time and Age; although, in this task, the Reaction Time as a control variable was not included. The results showed that the Mean was equal to 40.2, the Standard Deviation was equal 11.06, it is seen that there is directly proportional Medium correlation between the two variables (Age of participants and Time performed to complete the task) , which means that Execution Time has increased with older age (R value=0.275) knowing that the minimum age is 21 and the maximum is 60. This direct proportional correlation was found to be significant as p value =0.02(p<0.05), this means that the Research Hypothesis is accepted in this task.

Partial Correlation between Age and P&B Execution Time with the control of Reaction Time

The question that needed to be answered was if the measurement of Age and Completion Time will differ once Reaction Time is accounted for or not, and this was measured by Partial Correlation. 121 participants had Degrees of Freedom calculated at df=118 which indicated that there is slightly small correlation between Execution Time and Age while Reaction Time is controlling those two variables. This would show that performance time needed for the task increased with the growing in age and that there is no significance between Age and Time Performance with Reaction Time. Thus, the presence of Reaction Time did not affect the age of participants with the execution time in the Peg and Ball Task, which means that there is support for this Hypothesis, and we accept the Research Hypothesis.

Conclusion

A theory was suggested to account for some of the age-related differences using COMPASS’s Peg and Ball Task to look at the differences in memory and other aspects of cognitive functioning is a reduction with increased age in the speed with which many cognitive operation. This experiment aims to assess the extent to which the association between age and executive function, as measured by the time taken to complete the peg and ball (aka ToL) task, can be explained by age-related differences in processing speed as indexed by reaction time. It is hypothesised that Executive Function declines as age increases, in addition to Processing Speed declining as age increases. This will show that some of the relationships between age and executive function can be accounted for by age-related differences in reaction time.

Data was collected from 121 participants via COMPASS using a zero-order Pearson’s correlation analysis to show significant positive correlation between age and peg and ball execution time. When reaction time was controlled, this relationship remained significant but was attenuated. The results showed that the Mean was equal to 40.2, the Standard Deviation was equal 11.06, it is seen that there is directly proportional Medium correlation between the two variables, which means that Execution Time has increased with older age knowing that the minimum age is 21 and the maximum is 60.

There is a slightly small correlation between Execution Time and Age while Reaction Time is controlling those two variables., meaning that performance time needed for the task increased with the growing in age and that there is no significance between Age and Time Performance with Reaction Time. Thus, the presence of Reaction Time did not affect the age of participants with the execution time in the Peg and Ball Task, which means that there is support for this Hypothesis.

*SPSS outputs are no longer accessible for this project - apologies for the inconvenience.

References

• Bishop, Dorothy & Aamodt-Leeper, G & Creswell, Cathy & McGurk, R & Skuse, David. (2001). Individual Differences in Cognitive Planning on the Tower of Hanoi Task: Neuropsychological Maturity or Measurement Error?. Journal of child psychology and psychiatry, and allied disciplines. 42. 551-6. 10.1111/1469-7610.00749.

• Piper, B. J., Li, V., Eiwaz, M. A., Kobel, Y. V., Benice, T. S., Chu, A. M., Olsen, R. H., Rice, D. Z., Gray, H. M., Mueller, S. T., & Raber, J. (2012). Executive function on the Psychology Experiment Building Language tests. Behavior research methods, 44(1), 110–123. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13428-011-0096-6

Citing this essay:

Article Title:	Unusual results disproving the notion that Executive Function and Processing Speed declines as age increases using the Peg & Ball Task
Author:	Mx. R.J. Gittins
Publisher:	SheThinkDifferent (The Unseen Spectrum)
Date Written:	Spring 2022
Date Published:	August 2024