?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adc&rft.title=The+thermodynamics+of+human+reaction+times&rft.creator=Moscoso+del+Prado+Martin%2C+Dr+Fermin&rft.subject=Complexity+Theory&rft.subject=Cognitive+Psychology&rft.subject=Dynamical+Systems&rft.subject=Psychophysics&rft.description=I+present+a+new+approach+for+the+interpretation+of+reaction+time+(RT)+data+from+behavioral+experiments.+From+a+physical+perspective%2C+the+entropy+of+the+RT+distribution+provides+a+model-free+estimate+of+the+amount+of+processing+performed+by+the+cognitive+system.+In+this+way%2C+the+focus+is+shifted+from+the+conventional+interpretation+of+individual+RTs+being+either+long+or+short%2C+into+their+distribution+being%0D%0Amore+or+less+complex+in+terms+of+entropy.+The+new+approach+enables+the+estimation+of+the+cognitive+processing+load+without+reference+to+the+informational+content+of+the+stimuli+themselves%2C+thus+providing+a+more+appropriate+estimate+of+the+cognitive+impact+of+dierent+sources+of+information+that+are+carried+by+experimental+stimuli+or+tasks.+The+paper+introduces+the+formulation+of+the+theory%2C+followed+by+an+empirical+validation+using+a+database+of+human+RTs+in+lexical+tasks+(visual+lexical+decision+and+word%0D%0Anaming).+The+results+show+that+this+new+interpretation+of+RTs+is+more+powerful+than+the+traditional+one.+The+method+provides+theoretical+estimates+of+the+processing+loads+elicited+by+individual+stimuli.+These+loads+sharply+distinguish+the+responses+from+different+tasks.+In+addition%2C+it+provides+upper-bound+estimates+for+the+speed+at+which+the+system+processes+information.+Finally%2C+I+argue+that+the+theoretical+proposal%2C+and+the+associated+empirical+evidence%2C+provide+strong+arguments+for+an+adaptive+system+that+systematically+adjusts+its+operational+processing+speed+to+the+particular+demands+of+each+stimulus.+This%0D%0Afinding+is+in+contradiction+with+Hick's+law%2C+which+posits+a+relatively+constant+processing+speed+within+an+experimental+context.&rft.date=2009-08-17&rft.type=Journal+(Paginated)&rft.type=NonPeerReviewed&rft.format=application%2Fpdf&rft.identifier=http%3A%2F%2Fcogprints.org%2F6609%2F1%2Fcogther-arxiv.pdf&rft.identifier=++Moscoso+del+Prado+Martin%2C+Dr+Fermin++(2009)+The+thermodynamics+of+human+reaction+times.++%5BJournal+(Paginated)%5D++++(Unpublished)++&rft.relation=http%3A%2F%2Fcogprints.org%2F6609%2F