APA Dictionary of Psychology

psychological refractory period (PRP)

Updated on 04/19/2018
the period after response to a stimulus during which response to a second stimulus, presented shortly after the first, is delayed. Reaction time for the second task is increased when the stimulus for it occurs immediately (i.e., within one fourth of a second) after the stimulus for the first task. This PRP effect has been attributed to a response-selection bottleneck.
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