Direction-selective neurons from the middle temporal area (MT) and the middle superior temporal area (MST) were recorded while a monkey performed a direction discrimination task. Stimuli consisted of evenly spaced bars moving in one of the four cardinal directions. Monkey's reaction time, single-cell latency, and direction selectivity were calculated when stimuli of 53%, 24%, and 4% contrast were presented, and the monkey indicated a correct decision. Mean reaction time was 359±77 ms at 53% contrast, 391±107 ms at 24% contrast, and 582±374 ms at 4% contrast. Most neurons exhibiting direction selective responses at 53% contrast was also active at 24% contrast (MT, 99%; MST, 88%). The number of neurons still exhibiting stimulus-related activity at 4% contrast dramatically decreased (MT to 28%; MST to 41%). Shortest latencies were found at high contrast level (53% contrast; MT, 29 ms; population mean, 76±40 ms; MST, 35 ms; population mean, 77±27 ms). Single cell and population latency increased at lower contrast (4% contrast: MT minimum, 86 ms; population mean, 180±76 ms; MST minimum, 97 ms; population mean, 205±56 ms). This indicates that the mean increase in latency at the single-cell level only partially reflects the increase in reaction time (mean reaction time increased by 223 ms, while mean single-cell latency increased by ∼100 ms in MT and MST). We therefore calculated the normalised population response at different contrast levels. The maximal population activity was always found at the highest contrast level and this was set to 1. In MT it took 75 – 80 ms from stimulus onset until half maximal activity (0.5) was reached at 53% contrast. To reach 0.5 took 85 – 90 ms at 24% contrast and 205 – 210 ms at 4% contrast. For MST the respective values were 85 ms (53% contrast), 90 ms (24% contrast) and 255 ms (4%) contrast. Thus the time to reach half the maximal population activity much better reflects the reaction time than the mean of the latencies calculated from single cells.