Pupil size and drag state in a reaction time task

Abstract

Changes in pupil size were monitored during the performance of an auditory reaction-time task, under three drug conditions-normal, alcohol, and amphetamine. Under amphetamine, baseline dilations were increased, but neither the shape or amplitude of the pupillary response peak nor the obtained RT were otherwise affected. With alcohol, the average pupillary baselines were no lower than normal, but the response peaks were considerably flattened and RT increased. Long warning foreperiods resulted in fractionally faster performance than short. © 1970, Psychonomic Journals, Inc.. All rights reserved.