Simple auditory reaction time
Simple auditory reaction time
140 ms–200 ms
Reaction — a decision, via the brain
Reacting to sound is consistently 50 to 80 milliseconds faster than reacting to light, and the reason is anatomical rather than a matter of attention: sound reaches the auditory cortex through fewer synapses than light reaches the visual cortex, and the cochlea transduces mechanically rather than chemically. This is why a starting pistol is used in athletics rather than a light, and why every audio cue in a well-designed cockpit exists.
The numbers
- Typical
- 170 ms
- Range
- 140 ms to 200 ms
- What it is
- Reaction — a decision, via the brain
- What is measured
- Press a button as soon as a tone sounds.
- How it was measured
- Laboratory apparatus. The gap between auditory and visual holds across studies even when the absolute numbers do not.
Why this is a reaction
A reaction is a decision: signal in, processing, movement out. The floor for a human is around 150 milliseconds, and anything measured below about 100 ms is anticipation rather than response.
Where it sits against everything else
Reflexes at the top, reactions in the middle, design values off the end of the scale.
Vestibulo-ocular reflex — Reflex 10 ms
Knee-jerk (patellar) reflex — Reflex 22 ms
Latency added by your screen and mouse — Physical limit 35 ms
Blink reflex — Reflex 40 ms
Withdrawal reflex — Reflex 90 ms
Time a jab takes to land — Physical limit 110 ms
Sprint start reaction — Reaction 140 ms
Simple tactile reaction time — Reaction 155 ms
Simple auditory reaction time — Reaction 170 ms
Professional gamer reaction time — Reaction 190 ms
Formula One start reaction — Reaction 200 ms
Simple visual reaction time — Reaction 250 ms
How reaction time changes with age — Reaction 250 ms
What sleep loss does to reaction time — Reaction 300 ms
What alcohol does to reaction time — Reaction 320 ms
Recognition reaction time — Reaction 340 ms
Choice reaction time — Reaction 380 ms
Time to hit a 95 mph fastball — Physical limit 400 ms
Time a goalkeeper has on a penalty — Physical limit 450 ms
Time to play a 90 mph delivery — Physical limit 500 ms
Driver reaction to an expected event — Reaction 850 ms
The basic senses
| What | Typical | Range | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simple tactile reaction time | 155 ms | 130 ms–190 ms | Reaction |
| Simple visual reaction time | 250 ms | 200 ms–300 ms | Reaction |
| Recognition reaction time | 340 ms | 280 ms–450 ms | Reaction |
| Choice reaction time | 380 ms | 300 ms–500 ms | Reaction |
Common questions
- How long is simple auditory reaction time?
- Typically 170 ms, with a real range of 140 ms to 200 ms. Press a button as soon as a tone sounds.
- Is that a reflex or a reaction?
- Reaction — a decision, via the brain. A reaction is a decision: signal in, processing, movement out. The floor for a human is around 150 milliseconds, and anything measured below about 100 ms is anticipation rather than response.
- Does the measurement method matter?
- Laboratory apparatus. The gap between auditory and visual holds across studies even when the absolute numbers do not.
Related pages
- Simple tactile reaction time 155 ms
- Simple visual reaction time 250 ms
- Recognition reaction time 340 ms
- Choice reaction time 380 ms
- A reflex is not a reaction Why one is 20 ms and the other 250
- Stopping distance at every speed Reaction distance plus braking distance, computed
- Measure your own reaction time Five attempts, median reported
Sources
- A comparative study of visual and auditory reaction times on the basis of gender and physical activity levels — Jain et al., International Journal of Applied and Basic Medical Research 5(2), 2015