TY - JOUR

T1 - Age-related differences in processing visual device and task characteristics when using technical devices

AU - Oehl, Michael

AU - Sutter, Christine

PY - 2015/5/1

Y1 - 2015/5/1

N2 - With aging visual feedback becomes increasingly relevant in action control. Consequently, visual device and task characteristics should more and more affect tool use. Focussing on late working age, the present study aims to investigate age-related differences in processing task irrelevant (display size) and task relevant visual information (task difficulty). Young and middle-aged participants (20–35 and 36–64 years of age, respectively) sat in front of a touch screen with differently sized active touch areas (4″ to 12″) and performed pointing tasks with differing task difficulties (1.8–5 bits). Both display size and age affected pointing performance, but the two variables did not interact and aiming duration moderated both effects. Furthermore, task difficulty affected the pointing durations of middle-aged adults moreso than those of young adults. Again, aiming duration accounted for the variance in the data. The onset of an age-related decline in aiming duration can be clearly located in middle adulthood. Thus, the fine psychomotor ability “aiming” is a moderator and predictor for age-related differences in pointing tasks. The results support a user-specific design for small technical devices with touch interfaces.

AB - With aging visual feedback becomes increasingly relevant in action control. Consequently, visual device and task characteristics should more and more affect tool use. Focussing on late working age, the present study aims to investigate age-related differences in processing task irrelevant (display size) and task relevant visual information (task difficulty). Young and middle-aged participants (20–35 and 36–64 years of age, respectively) sat in front of a touch screen with differently sized active touch areas (4″ to 12″) and performed pointing tasks with differing task difficulties (1.8–5 bits). Both display size and age affected pointing performance, but the two variables did not interact and aiming duration moderated both effects. Furthermore, task difficulty affected the pointing durations of middle-aged adults moreso than those of young adults. Again, aiming duration accounted for the variance in the data. The onset of an age-related decline in aiming duration can be clearly located in middle adulthood. Thus, the fine psychomotor ability “aiming” is a moderator and predictor for age-related differences in pointing tasks. The results support a user-specific design for small technical devices with touch interfaces.

KW - Business psychology

KW - Ergonomics

KW - Human computer interaction

KW - Human Factors

KW - Inclusive Design

KW - Age Groups

KW - Touch Interfaces

KW - Age

KW - Display size

KW - Tool use

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84922830542&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.apergo.2014.12.002

DO - 10.1016/j.apergo.2014.12.002

M3 - Journal articles

C2 - 25683548

VL - 48

SP - 214

EP - 223

JO - Applied Ergonomics

JF - Applied Ergonomics

SN - 0003-6870

IS - 5

ER -