Simple reaction time to change as a substitute for the disjunctive reaction.

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Abstract
Reaction time (RT) to 9 magnitudes of change in brightness was measured at each of 2 levels of intensity. The results agreed with those obtained by the disjunctive reaction but showed less variability and much greater speed. RT was found to be inversely related to the amt. of change, within and even beyond the transition zone, regardless of the direction of change. Faster reactions to a constant stimulus ratio were obtained at the stronger of 2 levels of intensity, a result which is not inconsistent with evidence on Webster''s law shown by other methods. RT to decrements as well as to increments of brightness was studied, in an attempt to clear up a question on RT to onset and cessation. While the present method permitted equal fixation opportunities for both directions of change, reactions were significantly faster to decrements than to increments. It was concluded that simple RT as a measure of the response of the organism to a change makes possible the study of discrimination under the conditions of the typical RT expt., and affords information as useful as that supplied by the disjunctive RT.

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