Reaction Time

Reaction time measures how quickly you respond to a stimulus. It reflects the speed of sensory processing, decision-making, and motor response. Simple reaction time naturally slows with age but can be improved with practice. Read more on Wikipedia

How to Perform This Test

Equipment
  • Computer or tablet with reaction time software
  • Mouse, keyboard key, or touchscreen as response device
Steps
  1. Participant sits comfortably in front of the screen with a finger resting on the response key.
  2. A visual stimulus (e.g. a coloured circle) appears on screen after a random delay.
  3. Participant presses the response key as quickly as possible when the stimulus appears.
  4. Repeat for multiple trials (typically 20-40); exclude outliers caused by anticipation or distraction.
Scoring

Reaction time in milliseconds (ms) from stimulus onset to key press. The median or mean across trials is reported. Lower values indicate faster responses.

Notes

These norms are based on computerised simple visual reaction time (Blomkvist et al. 2017). Drop-ruler and other field methods produce different values and are not directly comparable.

Data source: Blomkvist et al. - Reaction time reference data across ages 20-99 (2017) · n=354 About this study

Reaction Time Neurological

Reaction Time Norms by Age and Sex (ms)

Age Sex Percentile
5th 25th 50th 75th 95th
20-29 Male 180 210 240 280 350
Female 190 220 255 295 370
30-39 Male 185 215 250 290 365
Female 195 230 265 310 385
40-49 Male 195 230 265 310 390
Female 205 245 285 330 415
50-59 Male 210 250 290 340 425
Female 220 265 310 360 450
60-69 Male 230 275 320 375 470
Female 245 295 345 405 510
70-79 Male 260 310 365 430 540
Female 280 335 395 465 585
80+ Male 300 360 425 500 630
Female 325 390 460 545 685

What to expect by age group

Among adults in their 30s, the middle 50% measure 215 to 290 ms for men and 230 to 310 ms for women. Reaction time increases steadily with each decade, adding roughly 30 to 40 ms per decade from the 30s to the 70s; men tend to be about 15 to 20 ms faster than women across all ages. Times above 290 ms (men) or 310 ms (women) are typically below average; times below 215 ms (men) or 230 ms (women) are above average (lower is faster).

Typical range (25th to 75th percentile) by age group (ms)
Age MalesFemales
20-29 210 to 280220 to 295
30-39 215 to 290230 to 310
40-49 230 to 310245 to 330
50-59 250 to 340265 to 360
60-69 275 to 375295 to 405
70-79 310 to 430335 to 465
80+ 360 to 500390 to 545

Detailed Breakdowns

Select an age group and sex below for detailed percentile charts, tables, and ratings.

Males
20-2930-3940-4950-5960-6970-7980+
Females
20-2930-3940-4950-5960-6970-7980+
Age trend (percentiles)

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a good reaction time?

Average visual reaction time is 200-300 milliseconds for adults. Younger adults tend toward the faster end; times increase gradually with age.

Does reaction time slow with age?

Yes, reaction time typically increases (slows) with age due to changes in neural processing speed. Regular cognitive activity may help maintain faster responses.

Can you improve reaction time?

Practice and specific training can improve reaction time, though gains are typically modest. Video games and sports requiring quick reactions may help.

Related Metrics