2006-10-22 15:00:37 · 7 answers · asked by Benjamin C 2 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Other - Arts & Humanities
This is one of the many situations where a difference exists, but it is not relevant. Which is to say that yes, if you measure coordination across all kinds of physical tasks, you will probably observe that on average a teenager has better reflexes than an older person.
The key words are, however, ON AVERAGE. If you look at individual people or individual tasks, it is almost a trivial matter to find adults who are far more coordinated that teens. Or, in other words, the differences within a group are so large that the differences between the groups are comparatively insignificant.
There are lots of things involved in physical coordination. First you have to percieve the situation correctly. Teens indisputably have better senses that the majority of adults. Then you need to react to it. Most physical activities are trained to unconscious use in the brain, and adults have had more time to develop such training, so adults are usually better at this. Finally, it is your muscles which react to what's going on. And given the relatively sedentary lifestyles that adults engage in compared to teens, it should be no surprise if teens do better at this.
If that sounds like gobbletygook, let's look at specfic cases. How about sports? Are teen athletes seen as superior to adult ones? Not usually. Though people in some sports consider someone over 19 to be 'washed up', it's not hard to find forty-year-olds who blow all the competition away in just about every endeavor. The longer reflex time and natural talent predominating, perhaps. There's also driving. Most teens have abysmal driving records compared to adults. There are very few winning race-car drivers who are teens!
But if you put a teen and an adult on equal footing learning-wise - say, by having them both compete in a new task - I would expect most teens to do better than most adults. Again with plenty of exceptions. Teens are certainly reputed to have better reflexes.
Hope that helps!
2006-10-22 15:18:03 · answer #1 · answered by Doctor Why 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is generally thought that most people reach the peak of their reflexes at or around the age of 18. after that the speed of reflexes goes down, but is compensated for quite some time by experience.
2006-10-22 15:41:45 · answer #2 · answered by Shakaar 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Depends on your version and age of an adult, Is a 16 year old faster than a 24 year old? I'm 40 and faster than most 25 year olds. Many factors go into answering a question like this
2006-10-22 15:08:52 · answer #3 · answered by myothernewname 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes because the youthful body is developing at a much faster rate than an adult whos body is aging so reflexes are slowing down.
2006-10-22 15:06:45 · answer #4 · answered by Quatisha L 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
While aging slows basic reaction time, note that in practical situations experience plays a large role in higher-order reaction time. When encountering a situation while driving, for example, a new teenage driver may have more time to think, but an experienced adult may require significantly less time to make a wise decision. It's all relative.
2006-10-22 15:09:42 · answer #5 · answered by kevinthenerd 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
yes, teenagers have faster reflexes then adults.
2013-10-29 10:00:25 · answer #6 · answered by Mahomie_ Like A Boss 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, in general they do! BTW, are there some adults who are not yet grown?
2006-10-22 15:05:22 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋