Effects of Signal Intensity on Increase of Reaction Time on an Auditory Monitoring Task

Abstract
5 Ss were required to respond as rapidly as possible to auditory signals of threshold, 34, 48, and 88 db intensity, mixed within the same 2-hr. session. Reaction time increased over time for all signal intensities, but the increase was larger for the threshold signal. There were two kinds of increase, one independent of signal intensity transferring the entire distribution toward longer reaction times. The other kind of increase was dependent on signal intensity and increased the number of long reaction times for the threshold signal.