Reaction Time to a Second Stimulus as a Function of Intensity of the First Stimulus

Abstract

Reaction time (RT) to the second of two stimuli presented in rapid succession was examined as a function of the intensity of the first stimulus (S₁). It was found that the delay in RT₂ was greater following a dim first stimulus than following a bright first stimulus. The magnitude of this increase corresponded to the difference in RTs to the two intensity levels of S₁. These results support the prediction of a single channel model of response selection. Examination of mean first RTs revealed a general elevation in latency of RT. However, since this increase was not influenced by the inter-stimulus interval (ISI) or by the intensity of the second stimulus (S₂), and since the same increase was found on “catch trials“ where no S₂ was presented, this increase is considered to be a function of change in set in the double response situation.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Craik

K. W. J.

(1948). Theory of the human operator in control systems. II. Man as an element in a control system. Brit. J. Psychol. 38, 142–8.

Davis

(1956). The limits of the “psychological refractory period.”. Quart. J. exp. Psychol. 8, 24–38.

Davis

(1957). The human operator as a single channel information system. Quart. J. exp. Psychol. 9, 119–29.

Elithorn

Lawrence

(1955). Central inhibition—some refractory observations. Quart. J. exp. Psychol. 7, 116–27.

Fraisse

(1957). La periode refractaire psychologique. L'Année Psychol. 57, 315–28.

Gottsdanker

Broadbent

Van Sant

(1963). Reaction time to single and first signals. J. exp. Psychol. 66, 163–7.

Hick

W. E.

(1948). The discontinuous functioning of the human operator in pursuit tasks. Quart. J. exp. Psychol. 1, 36–44.

Reynolds

(1966). Time and event uncertainty in unisensory reaction time. J. exp. Psychol. 71, 286–93.

Smith

M. C.

(1966). Simultaneous vs. Successive Response Selection: A Study of Attention as the Limiting Mechanism Unpublished doctoral dissertation, M.I.T.

10.

Telford

C. W.

(1931). Refractory phase of voluntary and associative responses. J. exp. Psychol. 14, 1–35.

11.

Vaughan

H. G.

Jr. Gilden

Costa

L. D.

(1964). The functional relation of visual evoked response and reaction time to stimulus intensity Paper presented at Amer. Psychol. Ass. meeting.

12.

Welford

A. T.

(1952). The “psychological refractory period” and the timing of high-speed performance: A review and a theory. Brit. J. Psychol. 43, 2–19.

13.

Westheimer

(1954). Mechanism of saccadic eye movements. A.M.A. Arch. Opthal. 52, 710–24.

14.

Zuber

B. L.

(1965). Physiological Control of Eye Movements in Humans Unpublished doctoral dissertation, M.I.T.