Relation Between Programming Time and Duration of the Response Being Programmed

When the nature of motor response is varied, holding the number of alternative responses constant, differences in choice reaction time can be attributed to differences in response programming time. The present experiments suggest that although changes in response duration are not necessary to produce small differences in programming time, such response duration changes may be a sufficient condition for the programming time to change and necessary condition for very large changes in programming time. Implications of this conclusion for theories of response programming are discussed.