The moderating influence of physical fitness on age gradients in vigilance and serial choice responding tasks.

The moderating influence of physical fitness on age gradients in measures obtained from vigilance and serial choice responding tasks is examined in a sample of 90 postal workers. Physiological data relating to aerobic fitness determined fitness level within 2 age groups: younger participants ages 18 to 30 years (M = 25.19; 24 men, 24 women) and older participants ages 43 to 62 years (M = 49.19; 20 men, 22 women). A performance decrement across time was found in several measures, and some variation as a function of age was apparent. However, post hoc statistical analyses did not indicate this was due to older adults underperforming younger adults. According to predictions, significant Age x Fitness interactions showed older less fit workers to consistently underperform other participants. The findings suggest that older less fit individuals have lower signal sensitivity and processing speed than older fitter people and younger individuals. Results are discussed in relation to underlying physiological mechanisms.

Clinician beliefs underlying autopsy requests.

The aim of the study was to use psychological theory to identify and evaluate factors influencing clinical autopsy requests. A series of pilot interviews were conducted with 20 clinicians to identify beliefs about the benefits and drawbacks, social groups and circumstances influential in the decision to make an autopsy request. The most common beliefs, together with measures of intention to request autopsies, were incorporated into a questionnaire which was distributed among all appropriate clinicians in four hospitals. Statistical analyses identified which beliefs had the most influence on clinicians' intentions to request autopsies. A total of 145 clinicians returned the questionnaire, a response rate of 42%. Clinicians were significantly more likely to request autopsy the more they thought that the outcome of requesting would be of educational value, would confirm clinical diagnoses, would not distress relatives, would not be time-consuming and that the request itself would receive support from their consultant. An autopsy request was unlikely in circumstances where clinicians felt uncomfortable when requesting relatives' permission and when the patients were elderly. The fear of causing distress to relatives and the degree of support from the clinician's consultant were found to be the strongest predictors of intention to request autopsies. These are two areas in which intervention could help to increase autopsy request rates.

Blocks in choice responding as a function of age and physical fitness.

Although both physical fitness and aspects of cognitive functioning are known to be poorer among older people, there is conflicting evidence about the interaction between age and fitness. Is greater age more strongly associated with impaired cognition among less fit people than it is among more fit people? In a sample of employed men aged 17-63 years, it is shown that this interaction is significant with respect to the occurrence of exceptionally slow responses but is not significant for mean reaction time. Multiple regression analyses suggest that the former measure may be interpreted as an inability to maintain concentration over time rather than as an index of response speed.