Abstract
Young and older adults demonstrate differences in action when passing through confined spaces (Warren and Whang in J Exp Psychol Hum Percept Perform 13:371–383, 1987; Hackney and Cinelli in Gait Posture 33:733–736, 2011). However, it is unknown whether or not these differences in actions exist during non-confined multiple obstacle avoidance tasks. The current study aimed to determine: (1) the differences in actions between young and older adults when given a choice in path selection and (2) establish the variables that may account for these differences in action. Older adults (N = 12) and young adults (N = 12) walked along a 10-m path towards a goal and avoided two vertical poles placed halfway down the path on either side of the midline (ranging between 0.6 and 1.8× shoulder width). Results revealed that in non-confined space, both age groups use body-scaled information to determine the passability of apertures and maintain similar Critical Points to those reported in confined aperture crossing (1.4 for young adults and 1.6 for older adults). Variability of the medial–lateral centre of mass movement (i.e. how much the trunk moved side to side) between the groups most likely accounted for the larger aperture sizes (i.e. Critical Points) required by the older adults to pass through the apertures. Therefore, it appears that body-scaled information may include an individual’s knowledge of both actual body size and body sway magnitude.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bootsma RJ, Oudejans RRD (1993) Visual information about time-to-collision between two objects. J Exp Psychol Hum Percept Perform 19:1041–1052
Cinelli ME, Patla AE (2008) Locomotor avoidance behaviours during a visually-guided task involving an approaching object. Gait Posture 28:596–601
Fajen BR (2008) Perceptual learning and the visual control of braking. Atten Percept Psychophys 70:1117–1129
Folstein MF, Folstein SE, McHugh PR (1975) “Mini-mental state”. A practical method for grading the cognitive state of patients for the clinician. J Psychiatr Res 12(3):189–198
Fuller JR, Adkin AL, Vallis LA (2006) Strategies used by older adults to change travel direction. Gait Posture 25:393–400
Gabell A, Nayak USL (1984) The effect of age on variability of gait. J Gerontol 39:662–666
Gerin-Lajoie M, Richards CL, McFayden BJ (2005) The negotiation of stationary and moving obstructions during walking: anticipatory locomotor adaptations and preservation of personal space. Mot Control 9:242–269
Gerin-Lajoie M, Richards CL, McFayden BJ (2006) The circumvention of obstacles during walking in different environmental contexts: a comparison between older and younger adults. Gait Posture 24:364–369
Gibson JJ (1979) The ecological approach to visual perception. Houghton Mifflin, Boston
Grabiner PC, Biswas ST, Grabiner MD (2001) Age-related changes in spatial and temporal gait variables. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 82:31–35
Hackney AL, Cinelli ME (2011) Action strategies of older adults walking through apertures. Gait Posture 33:733–736
Hackney AL, Cinelli ME (2012) Older adults are guided by their dynamic perceptions during aperture crossing. Gait Posture. doi:10.1016/gaitpost.2012.06.020
Hackney AL, Vallis LA, Cinelli ME (2012) Action strategies of individuals during aperture crossing in non-confined space. Q J Exp Psychol. QJE-STD 12-179.R1
Lee DN (1980) Visuo-motor coordination in space-time. North Holland, Amsterdam
Owings TM, Grabiner MD (2004) Variability of step kinematics in young and older adults. Gait Posture 20:26–29
Silsupadol P, Siu K, Shumway-Cook A, Woollacott M (2006) Training of balance under single- and dual-task conditions in older adults with balance impairment. J Am Phys Ther Assoc 86:269–281
Snapp-Childs W, Bingham GP (2009) The affordance of barrier crossing in young children exhibits dynamic, not geometric, similarity. Exp Brain Res 198(4):527–533
Steffanucci JK, Geuss MN (2009) Big people, little world: the body influences size perception. Perception 38:371–383
Warren WH (2007) Action-scaled information for the visual control of locomotion. In: Pepping GJ, Grealy ML (eds) Closing the gap: the scientific writings of David N. Lee. Erlbaum, Mahwah, NJ, pp 253–268
Warren WH, Whang S (1987) Visual guidance of walking through apertures: body-scaled information for affordances. J Exp Psychol Hum Percept Perform 13:371–383
Wilmut K, Barnett AL (2010) Locomotor adjustments when navigating through apertures. Hum Mov Sci 29:289–298
Wilmut K Barnett AL (2011) Locomotor behaviour of children while navigating through apertures. Exp Brain Res 210:185–194
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Hackney, A.L., Cinelli, M.E. Young and older adults use body-scaled information during a non-confined aperture crossing task. Exp Brain Res 225, 419–429 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-012-3382-3
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-012-3382-3