Reaction Time (RT) Situations: Which is Which?

What type of reaction time (RT) situation occurs when there are several stimuli and each stimulus requires a specific response?

A. Discrimination RT

B. Simple RT

C. Choice RT

D. Serial RT

Answer:

The type of reaction time (RT) situation where several stimuli each require a distinct reaction is termed Choice RT.

The type of reaction time (RT) situation that occurs when there are several stimuli and each stimulus of those requires a specific response is known as Choice RT (Choice Reaction Time). This type of RT is characterized by the necessity to respond in a specific way to a specific stimulus, which requires more cognitive processing and increases the complexity compared to other types of RT like Simple RT or Serial RT.

For example, in a Choice RT situation, a student may need to press different buttons on a keyboard in response to different letters appearing on a screen, requiring both the identification of the stimulus, and the selection of the corresponding response.