More Symmetrical Children Have Faster and More Consistent Choice Reaction Times

David Hope; Timothy C. Bates; Dominika Dykiert; Geoff Der; Ian J. Deary

doi:10.1037/a0038756

More Symmetrical Children Have Faster and More Consistent Choice Reaction Times

David Hope^*, Timothy C. Bates, Dominika Dykiert, Geoff Der, Ian J. Deary

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Greater cognitive ability in childhood is associated with increased longevity, and speedier reaction time (RT) might account for much of this linkage. Greater bodily symmetry is linked to both higher cognitive test scores and faster RTs. It is possible, then, that differences in bodily system integrity indexed by symmetry may underlie the associations of RT and intelligence with increased longevity. However, RT and symmetry have seldom been examined in the same study, and never in children. Here, in 2 large samples aged 4 to 15 (combined n = 856), we found that more symmetrical children had significantly faster mean choice RT and less variability in RT. These associations of faster and less variable RT with greater symmetry early in life raise the possibility that the determinants of longevity in part originate in processes influencing bodily system integrity early in the life-course. (PsycINFO Database Record

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	524-532
Number of pages	9
Journal	Developmental Psychology
Volume	51
Issue number	4
Early online date	9 Feb 2015
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1037/a0038756
Publication status	Published - 1 Apr 2015

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

Development
Fluctuating asymmetry
RT
Symmetry
System integrity

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10.1037/a0038756

524
This article has been published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Copyright for this article is retained by the author(s). Author(s) grant(s) the American Psychological Association the exclusive right to publish the article and identify itself as the original publisher.
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Cite this

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title = "More Symmetrical Children Have Faster and More Consistent Choice Reaction Times",

abstract = "Greater cognitive ability in childhood is associated with increased longevity, and speedier reaction time (RT) might account for much of this linkage. Greater bodily symmetry is linked to both higher cognitive test scores and faster RTs. It is possible, then, that differences in bodily system integrity indexed by symmetry may underlie the associations of RT and intelligence with increased longevity. However, RT and symmetry have seldom been examined in the same study, and never in children. Here, in 2 large samples aged 4 to 15 (combined n = 856), we found that more symmetrical children had significantly faster mean choice RT and less variability in RT. These associations of faster and less variable RT with greater symmetry early in life raise the possibility that the determinants of longevity in part originate in processes influencing bodily system integrity early in the life-course. (PsycINFO Database Record",

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AU - Hope, David

AU - Bates, Timothy C.

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AU - Der, Geoff

AU - Deary, Ian J.

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N2 - Greater cognitive ability in childhood is associated with increased longevity, and speedier reaction time (RT) might account for much of this linkage. Greater bodily symmetry is linked to both higher cognitive test scores and faster RTs. It is possible, then, that differences in bodily system integrity indexed by symmetry may underlie the associations of RT and intelligence with increased longevity. However, RT and symmetry have seldom been examined in the same study, and never in children. Here, in 2 large samples aged 4 to 15 (combined n = 856), we found that more symmetrical children had significantly faster mean choice RT and less variability in RT. These associations of faster and less variable RT with greater symmetry early in life raise the possibility that the determinants of longevity in part originate in processes influencing bodily system integrity early in the life-course. (PsycINFO Database Record

AB - Greater cognitive ability in childhood is associated with increased longevity, and speedier reaction time (RT) might account for much of this linkage. Greater bodily symmetry is linked to both higher cognitive test scores and faster RTs. It is possible, then, that differences in bodily system integrity indexed by symmetry may underlie the associations of RT and intelligence with increased longevity. However, RT and symmetry have seldom been examined in the same study, and never in children. Here, in 2 large samples aged 4 to 15 (combined n = 856), we found that more symmetrical children had significantly faster mean choice RT and less variability in RT. These associations of faster and less variable RT with greater symmetry early in life raise the possibility that the determinants of longevity in part originate in processes influencing bodily system integrity early in the life-course. (PsycINFO Database Record

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More Symmetrical Children Have Faster and More Consistent Choice Reaction Times

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Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology Phase 2.

RA2661 Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology Phase 2. Main Budget.

MRC Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology

David Hope

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More Symmetrical Children Have Faster and More Consistent Choice Reaction Times

Abstract

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Projects

Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology Phase 2.

RA2661 Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology Phase 2. Main Budget.

MRC Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology

Profiles

David Hope

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