Fine Motor Performance in Subjects of Subnormal, Normal and Superior Intelligence: IV. Task Complexity and Tracking

Abstract

Twenty-four groups of twelve subjects each undertook nine separate rotary pursuit ”tasks” (three rotor speeds x three target sizes at each speed). The scores of the groups suggested four discrete clusters, ranked according to overall performance level. These clusters replicated exactly those derived from an earlier analysis of the subjects’ performances on three reaction time measures (Bankheadft MacKay, 1982). Although they differed primarily in terms of the mental ages (MAs) of their constituent groups, IQ was noted as an additional discriminating variable at low levels of performance. Whilst the best (higher-MA) clusters seemed to be relatively more influenced by target speed than by target size in rotary pursuit performance, a trend in the opposite direction was noted for the poorer (low-MA, low-IQ) clusters.