presentation of a single stimulus and the response of the subject, as proof of
identification. The choice reaction time test (CRT) represents an extension of SRT,
where the subject is confronted with two or more perception stimuli and has two or more
options. The memory accessing reaction time test (MRT) evaluates the necessary
duration for scanning one’s memory in order to decide whether a recent stimulus
belonged to a previously presented set (of several elements).
In a component analysis of the three reaction time tests we can identify successive
processes with variable duration.
The option for the three versions was based on the results of experimental studies. First,
they have proved that the corroboration of the performance achieved by a subject by all
three procedures (SRT, CRT, MRT) significantly increases the informative / predictive
value of the RT test (Choudhury and Gorman, 1999). Moreover, Schwitzer (2001) has
shown that for the professions requiring complex activities, CRT and MRT are much
more informative when we want to anticipate a high performance level.
The validity of using reaction time as measurement of the individual differences in
cognitive functioning has been extensively demonstrated (Barrett et al., 1986; Bates and
Stough, 1997; Bowling and MacKenyie, 1996; Carlson and Widaman, 1987, etc.). These
studies revealed that the speed and consistency with which individuals perform various
RT-type tasks is discriminatory for groups of individuals for whom differences have been
anticipated. For instance, individuals diagnosed as mentally retarded responded with
delay and less consistently in RT tests than the average population (Davis et al, 1991;
LeClaire and Elliot, 1995). Similarly, gifted individuals have proved themselves to be
significantly faster and more consistent in their responses to RT tasks than the average
individuals (Kranzelr et al, 1994; Saccuzzo et al, 1994). This advantage of speed is
especially relevant in complex tasks (Schweitzer, 2001). We may state that there is
sufficient experimental data to justify the use of RT tasks (SRT, CRT, MRT) as valid
evaluation methods of the cognitive ability, especially for evaluation of the general
intelligence. In addition, taking into account the factors mentioned, we could increase the
predictive value of RT for a large range of professions requiring reaction speed.
Decision-making capacity
Initially, mathematicians and economists ran research in the field of decision-making in
their attempt to find a strategy to improve the decision-making process. Normative
theories (the expected value, the expected utility, the games) are such attempts to
optimise the decision-making process by applying a rigorous mathematical apparatus.
The research initiated by Simon (1959) and carried further by Tversky and Kahneman
proved however that decision-makers do not approach the process in a rational manner.