The speed at which information is processed in the mind – in other words the ingenuity or how fast “turns” the mind takes – does not begin to decline before the age of 60, according to a new German scientific study. This conclusion contradicts previous estimates that the speed of the mind peaks at 20 and then begins to decline gradually, with greater acceleration in old age.
The researchers, led by Dr. Misa von Krause of the University of Heidelberg, who published the paper in the journal Human Human Behavior, analyzed data from nearly 1.2 million people aged 10 to 80 years. participate in an online experiment, which measured the reaction times in a mental – cognitive test. Participants were asked to categorize a series of words and images that appeared in a flash on the screen by pressing the right key.
It was found that although the average reaction time began to slow down after the age of 30, this had nothing to do with the speed of the mind, but with the most cautious and careful attitude. The very mental process of deciding on the correct answer showed a tendency to slow down only after 60 and then the delay became more and more, as one grew older.
The researchers noted that the older a person gets, the longer it takes to react to changes in their environment or to stimuli around them. This greater slowness in reactions to external stimuli, which actually begins around the age of 20, gradually increases in middle and old age. But it should not be confused with how many turns the mind itself takes when making a decision. Contrary to popular belief, mental agility is usually not affected during most of life (and productive-professional).
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