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A sample of 558 women and 1,163 men 17 to 102 years old, screened for neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disease, was administered tests of immediate visual memory (Benton Visual Retention Test) and crystallized intelligence (Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale Vocabulary subtest) from 1 to 5 times over 27.7 years. Cross-sectional and longitudinal evidence led to the conclusion that the 65-74-year decade was a watershed for decremental changes in immediate visual memory and verbal intelligence. Age accounted for considerably less variance in vocabulary than in immediate memory. The proportion of individuals whose longitudinal trajectories were contrary to group trends decreased substantially with increased age; observed age changes remained when analyses were restricted to individuals who had perfect or near-perfect mental status scores. Selected neuronal loss and slower reproduction times were considered as possible causes.

Six-year changes in immediate visual memory performance assessed by the Benton Visual Retention (BVR) test predicted Alzheimer's disease (AD) prior to its onset. Subjects of this study were 371 community-dwelling adult participants in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging, seven of whom received probable or definite AD diagnoses using DSM-III-R and NINCDS-ADRDA criteria. Subjects with diagnoses of AD had larger changes in immediate memory performance over the 6-year interval prior to the estimated onset of their disease than subjects without AD. Six-year longitudinal change as well as level in immediate visual memory performance also predicted subsequent cognitive performance 6-15 and 16-22 years later, even after adjusting for the influences of age, general ability, and initial immediate memory. These results provide evidence that change and level in immediate visual memory performance has long-term prognostic significance over as many as 16-22 years. These results further suggest that change in recent memory performance, an important component in AD diagnoses, may be an important precursor of the development of the disease.

The association among sexual daydreaming and sexual attitudes and activity was examined in a cross-sectional life-span sample of women (N = 117,26 to 78 years). Sexual daydreaming was measured using the Imaginal Processes Inventory (IPI) while sexual history measures of sexual activity, sexual drive, and sexual attitudes were derived from a comprehensive personal interview. A factor analysis and varimax rotation of the sexual history variables, age, and the Sexual Daydream Scale of the IPI revealed three primary factors representing dimensions of sexual activity and drive, attitudes toward sexual activity, and sexual satisfaction. Age was associated with less sexual daydreaming, less sexual drive, less sexual activity, and more negative sexual attitudes. Sexual daydreaming varied directly with sexual drive and sexual activity and with a positive sexual attitude.

Aspects of daydreaming and associated mental activity were examined for sex differences in well-educated middle class Whites aged 17 to 92 years. Females reported daydreams of a problem solving nature, and lower levels of daydreams of a sexual, bizarre-improbable, heroic and achievement-oriented nature. Daydreaming contents decreased with age. (Author)

The 344 items of the Imaginal Processes Inventory plus age were intercorrelated for 1300 subjects. This intercorrelation matrix was subjected to a principal components analysis; 53 principal components then were rotated to a Varimax solution. Results of the factor analysis are given in terms of the meaningful interpreted components. (Author)

A sample of White adults was tested to determine daydreaming propensity as influenced by interrelated demographic variables. Also reports the effects demographic variables had on mental activity related to daydreaming, such as attention, boredom, and curiosity. (JAC)

Investigated midlife influences on daydreaming for 477 women from 40 to 60 years of age. Examined 42 variables including health status, symptom presence, menstruation difficulties, sexual activities, and effects of menopause. Results indicated daydreaming was more prevalent among women with various psychological symptoms. (PAS)

We used a life span sample of 18- to 91-year-old men (n = 176) and women (n = 108) to investigate sex differences and the effect of age on sex differences in performance and arousal during a 62-min no-memory-demand sensory vigilance task (Mackworth's Clock-Test). We observed sex differences in target response time and on measures of autonomic arousal; women were slower and less aroused than men. A review of the literature, in conjunction with the results of this study, led to our concluding that women are slower to respond to targets than men and that women may tend to detect fewer targets than men only when they are young (18-29 years old). Sex differences in arousal levels were consistent with an arousal explanation of sex differences in response time. However, detection accuracy and false alarm rates were not consistent with sex differences in arousal levels. Sex differences in the time course of vigilance performance were inconsistent. Age did not significantly moderate the sex differences in vigilance decrement. (Reprinted by permission of the publisher.)