Reaction time is the interval time between the presentation of a stimulus and the muscular response initiation to that stimulus. A primary factor affecting a response is the number of possible stimuli, each requiring their response, that are presented.
If there is only one possible response (simple reaction time), it will only take a short time to react. If there are several possible responses (choice reaction time), it will take longer to determine which response to carry out.
Hick (1952)[2] discovered that the reaction time increases proportionally to the number of possible responses until a point at which the response time remains constant despite the increases in possible responses (Hick's Law).
Improving Reaction Speed
Coach and athletes need to analyse the type of skill and the requirements of their sport and decide where response gains can be made. Reaction time is an inherent ability, but overall response time can be improved by practice. Consider the following:
- Detecting the cue - in a sprint start, focusing on the starter's voice and the sound of the gun and separating this from background crowd noise and negative thoughts
- Detecting relevant cues - a goalkeeper learning to analyse body language at penalties
- Decision making - working on set pieces and game situations
- Change in attention focus - being able to switch quickly from concentration on the opponent to concentration on the field of play in invasion games
- Controlling anxiety - which slows reaction times by adding conflicting information
- Creating optimum levels of motivation - 'psyching up'
- Warm-up - to ensure the sense organs and nervous system are ready to transmit information and the muscles to act upon it
Anticipation
Anticipation is a strategy athletes use to reduce the time they take to respond to a stimulus, e.g. the tennis player who anticipates the serve the opponent will use (spatial or event anticipation). In this case, the player has learned to detect specific cues early in the serving sequence that predicts the potential serve. There are dangers for the tennis player in anticipating this way, but the advantages of getting it right are significant. It means the player can start to position themselves for the return earlier than usual and give themselves more time to play the shot when the ball arrives.
Factors influencing response time
Response time is the sum of reaction time plus movement time. Factors that may influence the performer's response are:
- Gender and age (see diagram - Davis (2000)[1])
- Stage of learning
- Psychological state
- Level of fitness
- Number of possible responses
- Time available
- The intensity of the stimuli
- Anticipation
- Experience
- Health
- Body Temperature - colder the slower
- Personality - extroverts react quicker
- State of alertness
- Length of neural pathways
Reaction Speed Drills
The objective of the reaction speed drills is to improve your reaction time to a stimulus. The exercises can include controlling an object (e.g. football or hockey puck). The cue for the reaction to take place can be visual (movement of an object) or a specific command (voice), or sound (starter's gun). The cue should be appropriate to your event or sport - a starter's pistol for a sprinter. The following are examples of reaction speed drills to an external stimulus.
| Applicable to any event or sport where pure speed over the ground is important | |
| Starting position | Lying on the ground on their back or front |
| Command | Voice or sound |
| Action | To get up and sprint 20 to 30 metres to a designated point |
| Notes | The designated point could be the coach who moves from point to point so that the athlete only has the sound of the command to initially determine where the coach is positioned |
| For sports where a ball is to be controlled by the athlete | |
| Starting position | Easy running controlling the ball |
| Command | Voice command of left, right, back or forward |
| Action | To sprint in the direction of the command for a designated distance while controlling the ball, and then return to easy running |
| Notes | The drill can be repeated 3 or 4 times, bringing the athlete back to the starting point to pass the ball to the next athlete. |
| For sprinters to improve their reaction to the starting gun | |
| Starting position | Standing tall and relaxed |
| Command | Blow on whistle or clap of the hands - given from behind the athlete |
| Action | The following should all happen together:
|
| Notes | It is assumed that the right foot is placed in the rear block of the starting blocks on a sprint start - if it is the left foot, then change the leg action above |
| For sports where a ball is involved | |
| Starting position | Use any static position - standing, sitting or lying down |
| Command | The coach standing in front drops the ball from shoulder height |
| Action | To sprint and catch the ball before its second bounce |
| Notes | We need to adjust where the coach stands to make the exercise most effective |
References
- DAVIS, B. et al. (2000) Physical Education and the study of sport. 4th ed. London: Harcourt Publishers. p. 312
- HICK, W.E. (1952) On the rate of gain of information. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 4, p. 11-26
Page Reference
If you quote information from this page in your work, then the reference for this page is:
- MACKENZIE, B. (1998) Reaction Time [WWW] Available from: //www.brianmac.co.uk/reaction.htm [Accessed
When thinking about reaction time we probably associate it with sprinters reacting to the gun at the start of a race or football players quickly evading a tackle or getting the loose ball before an opponent does.
However reaction times are equally important off the sports field as it is on it and play a role in us avoiding injury. The good news is that we can train our reactions to get quicker and more agile.
Examples of reaction time
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If you are driving and you come across a crosswalk, the time that it takes from when you see the crosswalk to when you break and stop the car would be reaction time. This ability can prevent us from many dangerous car accidents.
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In a netball match or football game, it is very important to detect the opponents move and know what they’re going to to in order to react as quickly and carefully as possible. Good reaction time is the key to scoring and winning.
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A Sprinter reacting to the starters gun. The best start can determine the outcome of the race.
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You’re in a building and you smell smoke all of the sudden. Reaction time would be the time it takes you to find and use the closest fire extinguisher after detecting a fire.
What is our “reaction time”?
Reaction times or response times refers to the amount of time that takes places between when we perceive something to when we respond to it. It is our ability to detect, process, and then respond to a situation. So using the 100m sprinter as an example it is the ability to react to the sound of the gun, however it is also our ability to avoid a sudden obstacle that may be in our path or reacting to get out of the way of danger.
What is involved in our reaction times?
Seeing, hearing, or feeling a stimulus with certainty is essential to having good reaction time. When the starter shoots the gun at the beginning of a race, the sound is received by the athlete’s ears.
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Processing the information:
In order to have good reaction time, it’s necessary for us to understand the significance of the information and what is the required response to it.
For the 100m sprinter this is knowing that the BANG of the gun means GO.
This is then reacting with the most appropriate movement strategy for the situation. The 100m runner explodes of the blocks and starts his sprint. For others it may be jumping out of harms way or side stepping a sudden obstacle when out running trails.
These components of reaction time, (perception, process, and respond), are done in a matter of milliseconds. If any part of these processes is affected then the response will be affected. In the example of the 100m runner they have a poor start, with a trail runner they may accidentally step on the branch and roll their ankle.
What affects reaction time?
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Complexity of the stimulus-The more complex the stimulus, the more information that has to be processed, the longer this process will take.
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Familiarity, preparation, and expectations: If you have to respond to a known stimulus that you’ve responded to before, the reaction time will be lower. Our responses to more unfamiliar stimuli will be slower. Remember we are dealing in milliseconds here !
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Our state of readiness : fatigue, attention (being sleepy), high temperature, age, or even eating too much food. All of these can affect our reaction times. Nobody moved to quickly after a big feast.
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Stimulated sensory modality: Each of our senses result in a different reaction time. We respond faster to sound than we do to visual cues.
Can we improve our reaction time?
Like most abilities we can train our reactions to be quicker. Here is a link to Daniel Riccardo training his reaction time for F-1 racing.
Here are some examples of reaction drills using simple equipment and the last one not so simple, ( hopefully coming to a clinic near you soon ).
Reaction Ball
Auditory Drills
Light Reaction Drills
You’re never too old to improve your reactions , it may just save you a visit to us in the future .
Cheers and thanks for reading,
Dave