reaction time
How fast you respond
Reaction time is the interval between a stimulus and the response to it—how quickly you notice something and act.
The term appears in contexts from psychology experiments to video gaming to sports: His reaction time behind the wheel saved him from the collision.
Slow reaction time can indicate fatigue, intoxication, or neurological issues.
Thousandths of a second
- latencyDelay in system response
- stopwatchInterval timing device
- chronometerPrecision timekeeping instrument
- benchmarkStandard for comparison
interval · duration · timing · seconds · quantification · precision · accuracy · threshold
What prompts a reaction
- responseAnswer to stimulus
- motorEnergy-to-motion converter
- neuronImpulse-conducting cell
- synapseNerve signal crossing point
muscle · twitch · automatic · instinctive · blink · startle · flinch · knee-jerk
Active mental awareness
- attentionFocused mental awareness
- focusConcentrated attention point
- concentrationSustained single-minded attention
- processing speedMental information-handling rate
perception · awareness · vigilance · acuity · working memory · decision-making · mental fatigue · cognitive load
State of being fast
lag · swift · brisk · sluggish · nimble · split-second · instantaneous · prompt
Interactive electronic entertainment
- esportsProfessional video game competitions
- athleticsCompetitive physical activities
- drivingControlling a vehicle
- sportsCompetitive physical activities
training · practice · competitive · age-related · peak · degradation · enhancement · caffeine
milliseconds
Thousandths of a second
- latencyDelay in system response
- stopwatchInterval timing device
- chronometerPrecision timekeeping instrument
benchmark · interval · duration · timing · seconds · quantification · precision · accuracy · threshold · baseline
stimulus
What prompts a reaction
synapse · muscle · twitch · automatic · instinctive · blink · startle · flinch · knee-jerk · sensory
alertness
Active mental awareness
- attentionFocused mental awareness
- focusConcentrated attention point
- concentrationSustained single-minded attention
processing speed · perception · awareness · vigilance · acuity · working memory · decision-making · mental fatigue · cognitive load · distraction
quickness
State of being fast
delay · lag · swift · brisk · sluggish · nimble · split-second · instantaneous · prompt · delayed
gaming
Interactive electronic entertainment
- esportsProfessional video game competitions
- athleticsCompetitive physical activities
- drivingControlling a vehicle
sports · training · practice · competitive · age-related · peak · degradation · enhancement · caffeine · sleep deprivation
- mental sharpnessmental agility, mental clarity, mental focus, acumen, sharp mind
- athletic skillsbalance, coordination, agility, reflexes, hand-eye coordination
- Brain MeasuresEEG, fMRI, MRI images, brain scan, brain scans
- reflex trainingquick reflexes, stimulus-response, reflex arc, speed drills
- precision timingsynchronization, rhythm, tempo, countdown, beat
- Neurobehaviorsattention, learning, memory disorders, impulse control, motor control
reaction timelatency
Delay in system response
delay · hesitation · slowness · sluggishness · lag
reaction timedeliberation
Careful weighing of choices
contemplation · reflection · consideration · careful thought · measured response
time, reaction, reactions, reactive, reactivity, overreaction, unreactive, reactively, reactance