reaktiokoe

Reaktiokoe is a Finnish term for a reaction test, a procedure used to measure the speed of an organism's response to a stimulus. It is commonly employed in psychology, neuroscience, sports science, and clinical assessment to quantify processing speed, attention, and motor function. The central measure is reaction time, the interval between stimulus onset and the initiation of a deliberate response, typically recorded in milliseconds.

There are several common variants. In simple reaction time tests, a single stimulus elicits a single response, such as pressing a button when a light appears. In choice reaction time tests, several stimuli require different responses, so decision-making adds processing time. Go/no-go tasks require a response to some stimuli while withholding it for others, assessing response inhibition. Visual and auditory stimuli are both used, depending on the research question and equipment.

Tests are often computer-based or use simple hardware like touchscreens or button boxes. They are used to assess cognitive function, fatigue, injury impact, or athletic readiness, and to monitor changes over time. Interpreting results requires consideration of age, sex, practice effects, alertness, and health status, as these factors can influence speed and accuracy.

Historically, reaction time studies began with Franciscus Donders in the 19th century, who used subtractive methods to estimate the duration of mental processes by comparing simple and choice reaction times.