Psychophysiological Aspects of Paced and Unpaced Performance as Influenced by Age

Abstract

As a result of experimental evidence on paced performance (Salvendy 1969) the hypothesis was proposed that for various age groups a different freely chosen pace exists in which human energy expenditure per unit of external work performed is minimum. Working either below or above this freely chosen pace the energy expenditure (O² uptake) per unit of work increases. The experiments conducted using an arm ergometer, on 15 male sedentary subjects aged 21–64 support the hypothesis for the subjects in the age range of 21–43 years; above this age range the minimum physiological cost per work is not exhibited within a freely chosen working range of the subjects. The psychological responses rendered by the questionnaire support the physiological findings for the subjects in the 21–25 year age range, but not for the remaining age groups.

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Notes on contributors

G. SALVENDY

Now at the School of Industrial Engineering, Purdue University, Lafayette, Indiana 47907, U.S.A.