Reaction Time Test
Wait for the panel to turn green, then tap as fast as you can. Five tries, and your score is the average in milliseconds.
What it measures
This is a simple reaction time test: one signal, one response. It measures how long it takes you to see a change and act on it, which is mostly the speed of noticing plus the speed of your finger. A tap before the green is "Too soon" and that try starts again, so guessing doesn't help.
What is a typical reaction time?
For a simple visual signal, most adults land somewhere around 200 to 300 milliseconds. In a large UK study of over 7,000 adults, simple reaction time changed little until about 50 and then slowed, while choice reaction time (picking the right one of several responses) slowed steadily across adult life (Der & Deary, 2006).
Online tests add their own delay: a screen shows a frame a little after it's drawn, and touchscreens and Bluetooth mice add more, often tens of milliseconds. So compare your times with your own times on the same device rather than with a number from another site. Brainbay times from the frame the green appears to your touch's own timestamp, so a busy phone doesn't add to the result.
How to get a fairer score
- Use the same device each time, in a quiet moment.
- Rest your finger just above the screen, or a key under it.
- Look at the middle of the panel, not at your finger.
- Take the average of several tries, not your best one: that's what the test does.
How to play
- Wait for the panel to turn green.
- Tap as fast as you can.
- Five tries. Tapping early starts that try again.
Scoring and levels
It's one go. Your score is your average time in milliseconds (lower is better), and a good result moves you up a level for next time. Every game shows a short demo before you start, and your last ten scores are on the result screen.
In everyday life
Simple reaction time is the speed you lean on when a traffic light changes, a ball comes at you or a pan starts to boil over. In the real world you usually have to choose as well as react, which is slower: that's why Brainbay also has Choice Reaction, where the light can come on in any of several lanes.
Questions
Is a lower reaction time better?
Yes. The score is milliseconds from the green to your tap, so less is faster.
Why is my time slower on my phone than on a computer?
Touchscreens, screens and wireless input devices each add a little delay. Compare your times on the same device.
Does reaction time get slower with age?
Simple reaction time changes little until around 50 in large studies, then slows gradually. Choice reaction time slows more steadily through adult life (Der & Deary, 2006).
Can I improve my reaction time?
You will usually get a little faster at the test with practice, and sleep, caffeine and how alert you feel all change it from day to day.
Related
Brain tests
Brain games by topic
Guides
Sources
- Der, G. & Deary, I. J. (2006). Age and sex differences in reaction time in adulthood. Psychology and Aging, 21(1), 62–73. doi.org/10.1037/0882-7974.21.1.62
Brainbay is for practice and fun. Your scores show how you do at these games; they don't measure IQ or diagnose anything.