Simple Auditory Reaction Time Task – Keyboard

Background

The Simple Auditory Reaction Time Task is a simple measure of processing speed for speech and non-speech sounds. The procedure is based on the 1975 publication by D.B. Fry who investigated speech recognition and speech production. He tested response times to speech (e.g. vowel 'a') and non-speech sounds (e.g. a telephone bell) by button press and voice responses (=as measures for speech motor production). Based on his results, participants responded to speech sounds about 13ms faster than to the non-speech sounds. Speech production (e.g. voicing the response) added about 34ms to the response time. The Millisecond implementation of the procedure allows the task with keyboard input to run as a mixed or blocked design. Voice responding is omitted from the Millisecond implementation of the task.

Task Procedure

By default, a speech sound (vocal 'a') and a non-speech sound ('ring of a telephone') are tested in a mixed, within participant design. Participants work on 10 practice trials (five trials per sound type; order randomly determined) before starting the test phase. The test consists of 50 trials with 25 stimuli per sound type that are presented in random order. Sound delays between 2400-3700ms are randomly sampled for each presented sound. Participants must press the spacebar as soon as they hear the onset of the sound. By default, early responding results in the repeat of the missed trials at the end of the block.

What it Measures

The Simple Auditory Reaction Time Task measures processing speed for speech and non-speech sounds

Psychological domains

• Processing Speed: Ability to quickly perceive a stimulus, process the information, and initiate a response

Main Performance Metrics

• Response Times: mean response times (in ms) to stimulus presentation; main measure of processing speed for the two types of sounds
• Response Times Variability: response time variability for the two types of sounds

Psychiatric Conditions

The Simple Auditory Reaction Time Task is intended for academic research.

References

Search Google Scholar for peer-reviewed, published research using the Inquisit Simple Auditory Reaction Time Task – Keyboard.

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Fry, D.B. (1975). Simple Reaction-Times to Speech and Non-Speech Stimuli. Cortex, 11, 355-360.