The relative quickness of visual and auditory perception.

Abstract

Light and sound stimuli were presented simultaneously or nearly simultaneously to adult subjects. Some were to observe the priority of stimulus perception, others the interval of synchronization. The relative quickness of the perceptual process is affected by changes in the stimulus intensity though the order of presentation has no appreciable influence on such intensity effects. A 32 foot candle flash is perceived approximately 20 milliseconds quicker than a 0.2 foot candle flash when paired with sounds (clicks) of varying intensities. Sound intensity effects hold only for very weak stimuli (20 gram centimeters or less).