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Sex Roles

, Volume 54, Issue 1–2, pp 57–68 | Cite as

Sex Differences in Simple Visual Reaction Time: A Historical Meta-Analysis

  • Irwin W. Silverman
Article

Abstract

To test the hypothesis that the magnitude of sex differences in simple visual reaction time (RT) has narrowed across time, a meta-analysis was conducted on 72 effect sizes derived from 21 studies (n=15,003) published over a 73-year period. The analysis provided strong evidence for the hypothesized change. In addition, the analysis indicated that the sex difference in RT was on average smaller with non-U.S. samples than with U.S. samples. No relation was found between the magnitude of the sex difference in RT and age or presence vs. absence of a warning signal. Two factors–-participation in fast-action sports and driving–-are proposed as having been responsible for the decrease in the magnitude of the sex differences in simple visual RT across time.

Key Words

visual reaction time sex differences meta-analysis historical changes 
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Copyright information

© Springer Science + Business Media, Inc. 2006

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.Department of PsychologyBowling Green State UniversityOhio
  2. 2.Department of PsychologyBowling Green State UniversityOhio

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