What does reaction time measure?

Reaction time measures the amount of time taken to respond to a specific stimulus. This metric is often used in various fields, including psychology and sports, to evaluate how quickly an individual can detect and respond to a stimulus. It reflects the time from when a stimulus is presented to when the response is initiated, providing insights into cognitive processing speed, motor coordination, and overall alertness.

Understanding reaction time is important in contexts such as driving, where quick responses can be critical for safety, or in athletic performance, where it can influence outcomes in competitive scenarios. By focusing on the response time to stimuli, researchers and practitioners can glean important information about an individual's sensory and motor functions, which are key aspects of human development and cognitive function.