Ageing Dexterity: Speed or Selection?

There is a large amount of evidence to show that upper limb manual dexterity
decreases with increased age. Most of these measures have been taken using the manual
dexterity Box and Block (Cromwell, 1965) or Purdue Pegboard (Tiffin & Asher, 1948)
tests. While these data have consistently reported an increased time needed to complete
the tests with age, it is not clear whether the effect is one of decreased speed or a longer
time to select objects for response. In the research proposed here, we aim to test a large
sample of aged participants on a number of manual dexterity tests using motion tracking
methods. The aim of the poster presentation is to gain feedback on our research design
and screening test protocol.
Cromwell, F. S. (1965). Occupational Therapists Manual for Basic Skills Assessment:
Primary Prevocational Evaluation. Pasadena, CA: Fair Oaks Printing.
Tiffin, J. & Asher, E. J. (1948). The Purdue pegboard: Norms and studies of reliability
and validity. J Appl Psychol 32, 234-247.