Reaction time paradigms
Infer processing from response latency
Reaction time paradigms measure how quickly people respond to controlled stimuli. Task contrasts can test interference, priming or response selection, usually alongside accuracy. Reaction times reflect several processing stages as well as motor and device delays. Reliable conclusions require careful stimulus design, timing validation and analysis that respects skewed distributions and repeated trials within people.
Use when a theoretical hypothesis predicts a latency difference under controlled conditions. Ensure participants understand the task and that software and hardware timing are adequate for the effect being studied.
Strengths
- Sensitive to processing differences missed by self-report
- Supports controlled within-person task comparisons
Limitations
- Latency combines multiple cognitive and motor processes
- Speed-accuracy trade-offs complicate interpretation
Know the boundary
A reaction-time difference alone does not identify a unique mental process or an individual's stable trait.