Reaction time is how long it takes you to respond to something — here, to see a colour change and tap. It sounds instant, but it isn't: the light has to reach your eye, your brain has to register it and decide, and the signal has to travel to your hand. A simple visual reaction test measures that whole loop, usually in milliseconds (ms), where lower is better.
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For a simple "tap when it turns green" task, a typical figure is around 250 ms. Carefully controlled lab studies often land a bit lower — one large study by Woods and colleagues (2015) reported a mean of about 231 ms (≈213 ms once hardware delay was subtracted). The absolute number depends heavily on the setup: online tests read roughly 20–40 ms slower than lab equipment because screens and browsers add their own small delays. And there's a hard floor — the fastest a simple visual reaction can physically be is about 100–120 ms; anything quicker is anticipation, not reaction.
Two other reliable patterns: auditory reactions are a little faster than visual ones — usually by about 20–50 ms, because sound reaches the brain in roughly 8–10 ms versus 20–40 ms for light — and choice reactions (deciding which of several signals appeared) are slower than simple ones, because there's an extra decision to make.
Reaction speed follows a gentle arc across life. Large-sample research by Der and Deary found it is quickest in early adulthood, peaking near age 24, then slowing gradually through the 30s to 50s and more steeply after about 60. As a rough guide, studies report means in the region of 230–250 ms in the twenties, edging up toward 270–300 ms by the 40s–50s, and often 330–380 ms past 60 — but treat those bands as approximate, since they shift with the exact test. Encouragingly, work by Woods and colleagues suggests the age-related slowing comes mostly from slower motor output, not slower perception: the brain's detection speed stays remarkably stable.
A simple way to read your average:
Consistency counts too. Someone who's reliably a little above average will often beat someone with one lucky fast tap and several slow ones — which is exactly why the test averages your rounds.
Get a proper night's sleep, remove distractions, and warm up with a few rounds before you count your score. During the test, keep your attention on the signal instead of trying to predict its timing — anticipation feels fast but usually leads to false starts, which cost you more than they save. There's a biological floor here, so aim for refinement and consistency rather than a dramatic leap.
⚡ Take the 60-second reaction test →
On a simple visual test, a typical result is around 250 ms (lab means are often nearer 200–250 ms). Beating the average is good; consistently under 200 ms is quick. The physiological floor is about 100–120 ms.
It peaks near age 24 (Der & Deary) and slows gradually afterward — modestly through mid-life, more steeply after 60 — mostly due to slower motor output rather than perception.
Yes, usually by about 20–50 ms, because sound reaches the brain faster (~8–10 ms) than light (~20–40 ms). This test measures visual reaction.
A little — through sleep, alertness, practice and focus. There's a hard biological floor, so expect refinement rather than miracles.
Sources. Der, G. & Deary, I. J. (2006), "Age and sex differences in reaction time in adulthood," Psychology and Aging, 21(1), 62–73. Woods, D. L. et al. (2015), "Factors influencing the latency of simple reaction time," Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 9:131. Auditory-vs-visual comparison summarised from published simple-reaction-time studies (e.g. Jose & Gideon Praveen, 2010, and related work).