The Relationship between Reaction Time and Intelligence in Children

Abstract

Measures of reaction time and movement time were compared with WISC-R IQ and subtest scores for 59 intellectually superior, elementary aged children. Results indicate an inverse relationship between measures of reaction time and intelligence. Reaction time measures differentially correlated with the WISC-R subtests as a function of subtest g-loadings. The correlations between the g-loadings and reaction time parameters were as high as 0.80 (P < 0.01). Implications for the practice of school psychology with respect to the measure and study of intelligence are impressive. If a content-free unbiased measure which provides an estimate of intelligence uncontaminated by practice or learning can be further developed employing the simple reaction-time apparatus, then eventual studies dealing with the modification of intelligence become more feasible.