The relationship between intelligence and reaction time as a function of task and person variables

Abstract

The present investigation was carried out to see whether the relationship between the indices of reaction time (RT) and intelligence (both G f and G c ) varies as a function of person (age × sex) and task variables (sensory modality, i.e. visual and auditory RT and three levels of task complexity, i.e. SRT, 2-CRT and 3-CRT). RT indices, Raven's Standard Progressive Matrices and Wechsler's Digit Span Task scores were collected on 50 males (from 3 age groups: 20–30, 50–60 and 60–80 years) and 40 females (from 2 age groups: 20–30 and 50–65 years). The intercorrelation matrix revelaed that correlations between RT indices, intelligence and Digit Span Task were in the expected direction. Furthermore, it was found that task variables moderate intelligence- and Digit Span Task-RT relationships to a greater extent than person variables such as age and sex.