As I was searching for today’s topic, I found an article I had clipped a month ago and promptly forgot about. I’m not sure if it’s an age-related thing but I think we’re all familiar with the expression “senior moment.”
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Some of my friends have them (if I do, I must have forgotten) and they also seem to react a bit more slowly to questions as well. That’s why I clipped the article, which comes from Scientific American and deals with a study on older folks and reaction times. As it turns out, the fact that we take longer to make decisions as we age has nothing to do with impaired mental ability. It also raises a business point.
According to the article:
The researchers found little difference in accuracy between the younger and older subjects, although undergrads had significantly faster response times. But the older participants’ slower response times were not all the result of a decline in skills. In other tests, the older subjects were encouraged to decide faster, and their response times greatly decreased with hardly any loss of accuracy.
In other words, the older folks could decide faster if they cared to, but in the interest of accuracy they took their time. We’re all heard that “haste makes waste” and yet in an age where a premium is put on reacting quickly the need for accuracy gets lost. I’ve heard a dozen people encourage us to “fail quickly” or to release a product fast, get feedback, and fix it. My question is this: maybe we should behave more like the older folks in the study and choose to slow it down a bit in order to greatly increase our accuracy? I agree it’s better to fail fast, but I think it’s way better not to fail at all.
In my 20’s, I thought I had to know everything so I wouldn’t seem young and inexperienced. In my 50’s, I’m neither young nor inexperienced and I realize I don’t – and can’t – know everything. I might not answer as quickly – it takes time to leaf through the mental library for an accurate answer – but I’ll bet the answers are better, more complete, and way more on target.
You?
Consult Keith 
As an older man, when I get a good idea I refer to it as a junior moment.
All aspects of our society are consumed by speedy consumerism, that obviously has a negative knock on effect during the stage of creation. People want it fast we make it fast, and I agree with you completely we need considered creations not half arsed muck abouts. Journalism is a sector which is effected by this the most I think, instead of in-depth well researched stories we have glazed over reviews, then on to the next one, so we can consume, consume, consume-create, create, create. Nice article, good points, Thank you.
Woofs.