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Updated: May 4, 2026
The 5-Choice Serial Reaction Time Task: A Task of Attention and Impulse Control for Rodents
Published on: August 10, 2014
Relative performance of the two hands in simple and choice reaction time tasks
M Nisiyama1, L E Ribeiro-do-Valle1
1Universidade de São Paulo, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Departamento de Fisiologia e Biofísica, São PauloSP, Brasil, Departamento de Fisiologia e Biofísica, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
The left hemisphere shows better motor control, but this wasn't seen in reaction times. However, movement execution times revealed the left hemisphere's superior motor control, suggesting attention compensates for the right hand's less efficient movements.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Motor Control
- Human Movement
Background:
- The left cerebral hemisphere is generally considered more dominant for motor control compared to the right.
- Hemispheric asymmetries in motor competence may influence the timing and execution of sequential movements.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if hemispheric asymmetry in motor control is reflected in the latency and duration of sequential responses using the left and right hands.
- To examine differences in reaction time, submovement duration, and pause time between hands during unilateral and bilateral tasks.
Main Methods:
- Thirty-two right-handed young adults performed simple or choice reaction time tasks.
- Participants responded to visual targets by moving their left and/or right middle fingers between keys.
- Reaction time, submovement time, and pause time were measured for each hand.
Main Results:
- No significant difference was found in overall reaction time between the left and right hands.
- Submovement times were longer for the right hand compared to the left hand during bilateral responses.
- Pause times were shorter for the right hand than the left hand in both unilateral and bilateral tasks.
Conclusions:
- While reaction time did not show hemispheric asymmetry, movement execution (submovement and pause times) did, supporting the left hemisphere's greater motor efficiency.
- The findings suggest that the superior motor control of the left hemisphere is evident in the execution phase of movements, not necessarily in the preparation phase.
- Increased attention to the less proficient left hand may compensate for its less efficient motor control during submovements.
