Latency of Different Verbal Responses to the Same Stimulus

Abstract

A response of reading (letter O) or of naming (circle) can be given to the same sign O. The verbal reaction time is higher when naming than when reading (difference 100 millisec.). This fact verifies that naming is a longer process than reading, the difficulty of perceiving the stimulus being equal. The response “zero” which may be given to the same sign is nearer to the reading-response time than the naming-response. These facts can be explained if we say that uncertainty for coding concrete signs is greater than for alphabetical or numerical signs.