Effect of Flash and Field Luminance upon Human Reaction Time*

N. R. Bartlett; S. Macleod

doi:10.1364/JOSA.44.000306

Effect of Flash and Field Luminance upon Human Reaction Time

N. R. Bartlett and S. Macleod

Journal of the Optical Society of America
Vol. 44,
Issue 4,
pp. 306-311
(1954)
•https://doi.org/10.1364/JOSA.44.000306

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N. R. Bartlett and S. Macleod, "Effect of Flash and Field Luminance upon Human Reaction Time*," J. Opt. Soc. Am. 44, 306-311 (1954)

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- Beam splitters
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- Photometry
- Pupil
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About this Article
History
- Original Manuscript: January 12, 1954
- Published: April 1, 1954

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Abstract

Reaction time is measured from the onset of a signal flash to the manual release of a microswitch. Responses are made by two trained subjects over wide ranges of stimulus intensity and under varying conditions of signal flash and background field luminance. Two types of experimental conditions prevail: (1) variable flash luminance at each of three field levels, and (2) variable field luminance at three constant flash intensities. Thirty-six reactions are collected for every flash-field combination at each of two fixation positions (foveal and peripheral).

The results are described by the following equation:

T = \frac{1}{B log I / I_{0}} + K,

where B, I₀, and K depend upon the field luminance.

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Flash luminance (log mL)	Field luminance (mL)	Subject B						Subject M
		P			F			P			F
		Median	Mean	SD	Median	Mean	SD	Median	Mean	SD	Median	Mean	SD
	0.0
−3.32		561	581	24				515	514	93
−2.82		410	408	41				359	360	31
−2.32					561	572	80				501	497	82
−1.82		312	315	18	390	388	73	270	275	16	326	322	53
−0.82		269	265	16	242	241	17	223	222	11	191	192	18
0.18		253	251	16	233	230	20	213	214	13	180	179	14
1.18		228	229	18	220	220	17	179	181	14	161	161	10
3.18		198	197	15	185	186	16	156	156	8	141	143	8
	0.4
−1.82					555	555	110				526	519	151
−1.52					401	422	41				361	388	107
−1.32					323	315	25				277	284	27
−0.82		425	424	80	263	264	16	472	488	91	236	239	15
0.18		266	263	16	230	230	12	224	228	18	200	200	9
1.18		238	238	16	216	216	13	205	208	15	179	181	9
2.18		222	226	17	218	216	18	189	190	14	175	174	12
3.18		218	215	15	201	201	12	174	178	10	166	168	9
	40.0
0.38					380	418	107
0.58					268	266	23				477	502	180
0.98		334	345	53				529	577	146
1.18		259	265	28	225	229	18	425	464	161	196	195	15
1.68		244	246	19				262	267	40
3.18		217	216	16	206	207	12	190	192	13	167	167	8

	Subject B						Subject M
Field luminance	P			F			P			F
Field luminance	B	logI₀	K	B	logI₀	K	B	logI₀	K	B	logI₀	K

(log mL)
−∞	0.002	−4.7	140	0.005	−2.9	157	0.002	−4.4	105	0.007	−2.7	119
−0.4	0.008	−1.4	190	0.008	−2.0	179	0.007	−1.3	145	0.009	−1.8	145
+1.6	0.021	+0.6	200	0.028	0.0	194	0.014	+0.7	160	0.028	0.2	155

Field luminance (log mL)	Flash luminance (mL)	Subject B						Subject M
		P			F			P			F
		Median	Mean	SD	Median	Mean	SD	Median	Mean	SD	Median	Mean	SD
	0.15
−5.4		289	288	20	252	252	17	246	245	14	211	210	13
−1.1		312	316	21				331	333	56
−0.7		339	342	22				471	487	103
−0.4		445	450	61	259	261	25	678	666	100	232	232	22
0.0					300	300	26				288	303	47
0.3					461	441	84				489	516	132
0.5					512	514	112
	15.0
−5.4		247	247	20	229	226	14	192	194	14	177	176	11
−2.4		246	243	17	220	222	12	206	205	14	180	178	12
−0.4		234	240	18	215	215	15	197	200	18	172	172	10
0.6		234	233	18	204	203	12	219	224	22	181	180	8
1.6		292	302	42	228	228	16	354	363	60	192	192	13
1.9		391	395	78				427	452	108
2.1		407	464	133	267	269	28				354	404	138
2.3					294	308	53				461	467	156
2.6					387	435	55
	1500.0
−5.4		193	193	14	186	184	13	147	149	12	141	142	11
−2.4		191	192	18	183	183	14	160	160	16	137	139	12
−0.4		196	197	18	183	183	13	159	162	13	151	151	9
0.6		199	201	16	180	181	15	170	170	11	151	152	10
1.6		203	205	19	186	186	12	174	175	12	155	156	9
2.6		219	218	17	199	198	14	190	193	20	158	161	9

Flash luminance (log mL)	Field luminance (mL)	Subject B						Subject M
		P			F			P			F
		Median	Mean	SD	Median	Mean	SD	Median	Mean	SD	Median	Mean	SD
	0.0
−3.32		561	581	24				515	514	93
−2.82		410	408	41				359	360	31
−2.32					561	572	80				501	497	82
−1.82		312	315	18	390	388	73	270	275	16	326	322	53
−0.82		269	265	16	242	241	17	223	222	11	191	192	18
0.18		253	251	16	233	230	20	213	214	13	180	179	14
1.18		228	229	18	220	220	17	179	181	14	161	161	10
3.18		198	197	15	185	186	16	156	156	8	141	143	8
	0.4
−1.82					555	555	110				526	519	151
−1.52					401	422	41				361	388	107
−1.32					323	315	25				277	284	27
−0.82		425	424	80	263	264	16	472	488	91	236	239	15
0.18		266	263	16	230	230	12	224	228	18	200	200	9
1.18		238	238	16	216	216	13	205	208	15	179	181	9
2.18		222	226	17	218	216	18	189	190	14	175	174	12
3.18		218	215	15	201	201	12	174	178	10	166	168	9
	40.0
0.38					380	418	107
0.58					268	266	23				477	502	180
0.98		334	345	53				529	577	146
1.18		259	265	28	225	229	18	425	464	161	196	195	15
1.68		244	246	19				262	267	40
3.18		217	216	16	206	207	12	190	192	13	167	167	8

	Subject B						Subject M
Field luminance	P			F			P			F
Field luminance	B	logI₀	K	B	logI₀	K	B	logI₀	K	B	logI₀	K

(log mL)
−∞	0.002	−4.7	140	0.005	−2.9	157	0.002	−4.4	105	0.007	−2.7	119
−0.4	0.008	−1.4	190	0.008	−2.0	179	0.007	−1.3	145	0.009	−1.8	145
+1.6	0.021	+0.6	200	0.028	0.0	194	0.014	+0.7	160	0.028	0.2	155

Abstract

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