Reaktionsfenster

Reaktionsfenster, in English often called the reaction window, denotes the time interval after a stimulus within which a response is expected or considered valid. In psychology and neuroscience it is used to quantify reaction time and the temporal sensitivity of a task. The window can be defined as a fixed deadline or as a range around the measured reaction time distribution. Choices about the window influence which responses are counted as correct and how measurement noise is handled.

In experimental settings, the Reaktionsfenster is influenced by modality (visual, auditory, tactile), stimulus intensity, and task demands. Auditory stimuli typically elicit shorter reaction times than visual ones. Factors such as alertness, fatigue, age, practice, and cognitive load affect the size and shape of the window. Hardware latency and response registration methods (keyboard, button, touch, or physiological signals) also shape the effective window.

Typical simple-reaction tasks with visual stimuli yield reaction times roughly in the 180-250 milliseconds range for healthy adults, while auditory stimuli are often faster. In choice or go/no-go tasks, reaction windows are longer and performance depends on speed-accuracy trade-offs.

Applications include experimental design, safety-critical interfaces, sports training, and human-computer interaction. Defining an appropriate Reaktionsfenster is essential for interpreting reaction-time data, reducing bias from anticipatory or delayed responses, and ensuring consistent decision criteria across participants or trials.