Human Reaction Times: Linking Individual and Collective Behaviour Through Physics Modeling
An individual’s reaction time data to visual stimuli have usually been represented in Experimental Psychology by means of an ex-Gaussian function. In most previous works, researchers have mainly aimed at finding a meaning for the parameters of the ex-Gaussian function which are known to correlate wi...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2021-03-01
|
| Series: | Symmetry |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-8994/13/3/451 |
| _version_ | 1797541985373913088 |
|---|---|
| author | Juan Carlos Castro-Palacio Pedro Fernández-de-Córdoba J. M. Isidro Sarira Sahu Esperanza Navarro-Pardo |
| author_facet | Juan Carlos Castro-Palacio Pedro Fernández-de-Córdoba J. M. Isidro Sarira Sahu Esperanza Navarro-Pardo |
| author_sort | Juan Carlos Castro-Palacio |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | An individual’s reaction time data to visual stimuli have usually been represented in Experimental Psychology by means of an ex-Gaussian function. In most previous works, researchers have mainly aimed at finding a meaning for the parameters of the ex-Gaussian function which are known to correlate with cognitive disorders. Based on the recent evidence of correlations between the reaction time series to visual stimuli produced by different individuals within a group, we go beyond and propose a Physics-inspired model to represent the reaction time data of a coetaneous group of individuals. In doing so, a Maxwell–Boltzmann-like distribution appeared, the same distribution as for the velocities of the molecules in an Ideal Gas model. We describe step by step the methodology we use to go from the individual reaction times to the distribution of the individuals response within the coetaneous group. In practical terms, by means of this model we also provide a simple entropy-based methodology for the classification of the individuals within the collective they belong to with no need for an external reference which can be applicable in diverse areas of social sciences. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T13:23:16Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7d1fbfb4e35a4523a2f0ed749952712d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-8994 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T13:23:16Z |
| publishDate | 2021-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Symmetry |
| spelling | doaj.art-7d1fbfb4e35a4523a2f0ed749952712d2023-11-21T09:51:14ZengMDPI AGSymmetry2073-89942021-03-0113345110.3390/sym13030451Human Reaction Times: Linking Individual and Collective Behaviour Through Physics ModelingJuan Carlos Castro-Palacio0Pedro Fernández-de-Córdoba1J. M. Isidro2Sarira Sahu3Esperanza Navarro-Pardo4Department of Earth Science and Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UKInstituto Universitario de Matemática Pura y Aplicada, Universitat Politècnica de València, 46022 Valencia, SpainInstituto Universitario de Matemática Pura y Aplicada, Universitat Politècnica de València, 46022 Valencia, SpainInstituto de Ciencias Nucleares, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Circuito Exterior, C.U., A. Postal 70-543, Mexico DF 04510, MexicoDepartment of Developmental and Educational Psychology, Universitat de València, 46010 Valencia, SpainAn individual’s reaction time data to visual stimuli have usually been represented in Experimental Psychology by means of an ex-Gaussian function. In most previous works, researchers have mainly aimed at finding a meaning for the parameters of the ex-Gaussian function which are known to correlate with cognitive disorders. Based on the recent evidence of correlations between the reaction time series to visual stimuli produced by different individuals within a group, we go beyond and propose a Physics-inspired model to represent the reaction time data of a coetaneous group of individuals. In doing so, a Maxwell–Boltzmann-like distribution appeared, the same distribution as for the velocities of the molecules in an Ideal Gas model. We describe step by step the methodology we use to go from the individual reaction times to the distribution of the individuals response within the coetaneous group. In practical terms, by means of this model we also provide a simple entropy-based methodology for the classification of the individuals within the collective they belong to with no need for an external reference which can be applicable in diverse areas of social sciences.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-8994/13/3/451physical psychologybrain thermodynamicsreaction timesideal gas theoryvisual stimuli |
| spellingShingle | Juan Carlos Castro-Palacio Pedro Fernández-de-Córdoba J. M. Isidro Sarira Sahu Esperanza Navarro-Pardo Human Reaction Times: Linking Individual and Collective Behaviour Through Physics Modeling Symmetry physical psychology brain thermodynamics reaction times ideal gas theory visual stimuli |
| title | Human Reaction Times: Linking Individual and Collective Behaviour Through Physics Modeling |
| title_full | Human Reaction Times: Linking Individual and Collective Behaviour Through Physics Modeling |
| title_fullStr | Human Reaction Times: Linking Individual and Collective Behaviour Through Physics Modeling |
| title_full_unstemmed | Human Reaction Times: Linking Individual and Collective Behaviour Through Physics Modeling |
| title_short | Human Reaction Times: Linking Individual and Collective Behaviour Through Physics Modeling |
| title_sort | human reaction times linking individual and collective behaviour through physics modeling |
| topic | physical psychology brain thermodynamics reaction times ideal gas theory visual stimuli |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-8994/13/3/451 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT juancarloscastropalacio humanreactiontimeslinkingindividualandcollectivebehaviourthroughphysicsmodeling AT pedrofernandezdecordoba humanreactiontimeslinkingindividualandcollectivebehaviourthroughphysicsmodeling AT jmisidro humanreactiontimeslinkingindividualandcollectivebehaviourthroughphysicsmodeling AT sarirasahu humanreactiontimeslinkingindividualandcollectivebehaviourthroughphysicsmodeling AT esperanzanavarropardo humanreactiontimeslinkingindividualandcollectivebehaviourthroughphysicsmodeling |