Gender effects on reaction time variability and trial-to-trial performance: reply to Deary and Der (2005).
Abstract
Deary and Der (2005) reported significant gender effects on intraindividual variability in choice reaction time (CRT), and suggested several potential causes. In their procedure it was not possible to examine RTs on a trial-to-trial basis. We therefore investigate an additional possible cause: that men and women differ in their rate of performance improvement across trials, creating an apparent difference in variability. Using data from a large online CRT study, we replicate the finding that women are more variable in RT than men. However, we also demonstrate an interaction between gender and trial number for RT: women were initially slower than men, but became faster than men across a block. When the first two trials of the block are excluded, the gender effects on RT variability disappear.
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Sex differences are reportedly reduced with increased familiarity with the task, and may disappear with more extensive practice.
“In addition, sex differences are reportedly reduced with increased familiarity with the task, and may disappear with more extensive practice (Reimers and Maylor, 2006).”
From Factors influencing the latency of simple reaction time (2015) · cites this paper as Reimers and Maylor, 2006
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“We have collected data from a major web-based experiment that has been used to investigate age effects on task switching performance ( Reimers & Maylor, 2005 ).”
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- Authors
- Reimers, S., & Maylor, E. A.
- Affiliations
- University of Warwick (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Reimers, Stian
- Venue
- Aging, Neuropsychology, and Cognition
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2006-12
- Volume
- 13
- Issue
- 3-4
- Pages
- 479-489
- ISSN
- 0928-9917 (ISSN-L)
- 1382-5585
- 1744-4128
- OpenAlex
- W2053976527
- Cited by
- 38
- References
- 6
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 2 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 3 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 4 · 2013: 2 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 3.37
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Aging Neuropsychology and Cognition (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- UCL Discovery (University College London) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Economic and Social Research Council
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Cognitive Abilities and Testing
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology › Aging and Gerontology Research
- Keywords
- gender differences, reaction time variability, choice reaction time, within-person variability, cognitive aging, cognitive ability
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Age Factors, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Analysis of Variance, Attention, Child, Child, Preschool, Choice Behavior, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Psychomotor Performance, Reaction Time, Sex Characteristics
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