Eeg alpha slowing, refractory period, and reaction time in aging

1979 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 279-292 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diana S. Woodruff ◽  
Deirdre A. Kramer
Keyword(s):  
Reaction Time ◽  
Refractory Period ◽  
Eeg Alpha

Effect of Complexity of the Second Response on Reaction Time to the First Response in the Psychological Refractory Period Paradigm

1987 ◽  
Vol 64 (3_suppl) ◽  
pp. 1075-1080 ◽  
Author(s):  
Craig J. Chamberlin
Keyword(s):  
Reaction Time ◽  
Refractory Period ◽  
Psychological Refractory Period ◽  
Parallel Model ◽  
Relative Complexity ◽  
Central Processing ◽  
Psychological Refractory Period Paradigm ◽  
First Response ◽  
Grouping Effect ◽  
Flexible Model

An attempt to distinguish serial from parallel models of central processing was made by manipulating the relative complexity of R2 and observing the effect of this manipulation on RT1 in the Psychological Refractory Period paradigm. 14 subjects performed under two conditions, either a simple or complex R2. Experimental controls were used to prevent a possible grouping effect of responses. The results did not support a parallel model of central processing but did support a serial view. Implications of results, combined with previous findings, for a more flexible model of central processing were discussed.

scholarly journals EXPRESS: T1 difficulty does not modulate the magnitude of the attentional blink

2021 ◽  
pp. 174702182110547
Author(s):  
Thomas Spalek ◽  
Hayley Lagroix ◽  
Vincent Di Lollo
Keyword(s):  
Reaction Time ◽  
Visual System ◽  
Attentional Blink ◽  
Refractory Period ◽  
Dependent Measure ◽  
Identification Accuracy ◽  
Laboratory Studies ◽  
Response Scale ◽  
Scale Removal ◽  
Rapid Sequence

When the visual system is busy processing one stimulus it has problems processing a subsequent stimulus if it arrives soon after the first. Laboratory studies of this second-stimulus impairment – known as ¬attentional blink (AB) – have employed two targets (T1, T2) presented in rapid sequence, and have found identification accuracy to be nearly perfect for T1 but impaired for T2. It is commonly believed that the magnitude of the AB is related directly to the difficulty of T1: the greater the T1 difficulty, the larger the AB. A survey of the experimental literature disconfirms that belief showing it to have arisen from artificial constraints imposed by the 100% limit of the response scale. Removal of that constraint, either by using reaction time (RT) instead of accuracy as the dependent measure, or in experiments in which the functions of T2 accuracy over lags do not converge to the limit of the response scale, reveals parallel functions for the easy-T1 and the hard-T1 conditions, consistent with the idea that T1 difficulty does not modulate AB magnitude. This finding is problematic for all but the Boost-and-Bounce and the Locus Coeruleus-Norepinephrine theories in which T1 acts merely as a trigger for an eventual refractory period that leads to the failure to process T2, rendering T1 difficulty and its relationship to the AB an irrelevant consideration.

Selective Strategies in the Assimilation of Successively Presented Signals

1964 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 368-372 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. F. Sanders
Keyword(s):  
Reaction Time ◽  
Refractory Period ◽  
Present Experiment ◽  
Psychological Refractory Period ◽  
Experimental Situation ◽  
Perceptual Processing ◽  
Human Organism ◽  
Total Reaction ◽  
Interstimulus Intervals ◽  
Total Reaction Time

It is found that performance in experiments on the psychological refractory period is highly affected by instructions. In the present experiment subjects were instructed either to handle the signals successively or to group them. Both instructions were obeyed. This seems to indicate that the human organism has various strategies available. Which strategy is actually applied is likely to depend on the structure of the experimental situation, and partly also, on momentary preference. This may explain the variety of results in the literature on this subject. Finally, it is found that, when two signals are presented simultaneously, the total reaction time is considerably shorter if the signals are “grouped” than if they are “handled successively.” This difference disappears at interstimulus intervals of 0.2 sec. and 0.4 sec. The hypothesis is put forward, that the gain in time at the former case is due to simultaneous perceptual processing of the signals.

Heat Exposure-Induced Changes in Motor Outflow Component of Reaction Time

1983 ◽  
Vol 56 (3) ◽  
pp. 699-706 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. W. Aird ◽  
R. D. G. Webb ◽  
J. Hoare
Keyword(s):  
Reaction Time ◽  
Skin Temperature ◽  
Conduction Velocity ◽  
Refractory Period ◽  
Motor Nerve ◽  
Heat Exposure ◽  
Dominant Male ◽  
Mean Skin Temperature ◽  
Absolute Refractory Period ◽  
Forearm Skin

Conduction velocity, absolute refractory period, and subnormal conduction period measures of the right ulnar motor nerve were obtained during a simple reaction time task. 6 young, healthy, right-arm dominant male subjects were tested following 30 min. exposure in ambient (20°C) and hot (36°C) room air conditions. Motor and premotor components of fractionated reaction time were tested on the same arm. Oral, right forearm skin and a four-site mean skin temperature were monitored. During heat exposure, forearm skin temperature increased 4.7°C and mean skin temperature 2.9°C. Oral temperature did not alter. Conduction velocity increased 11.4%, absolute refractory period decreased 22.7%, and subnormal conduction period decreased 14.1% in the hot condition. Concomitantly, a 5.2% increase in premotor reaction time and 12.2% decrease in motor reaction time were observed. Total RT did not alter significantly. It was concluded that different component parts of reaction time were differentially influenced by exposure to heat.

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