F1 Formula Uno

Application
F1 is designed to assess reaction time in combination with attention performance; it is based on the requirements that apply at the start of a motor racing event. The test can be used with respondents age 14 and upwards.

Theoretical background
Attention can be defined as a psychophysical state that can vary in intensity and in which the subject is alert to stimuli or signals.  Concentration involves a restriction of attention to particular signals; a fixation on these signals constitutes focusing. In the classical definition, reaction time is taken to mean motor time – i.e. the time between the start of the response movement and its completion (= response movement).  The test is concerned exclusively with reaction time as thus defined.

Administration
The test is administered using a peripheral device and the response panel. The respondent must place his finger on the panel's gold rest button. The peripheral device contains five light diodes that light up in turn in red. The five diodes then turn white simultaneously; at this point the respondent must lift his finger as quickly as he can from the gold rest button. In forms S3 and S4 an acoustic signal sounds before the red diodes are extinguished; this signal is intended to activate the respondent's attention.

Test forms
There are four test forms – S1, S2, S3 and S4. In S3 and S4 an acoustic cue is used; this is not the case in S1 and S2. In addition, in forms S1 and S3 the respondent receives feedback on how the speed of his response compares with that of previous reactions; this feedback is not given in S2 and S4. There are thus four possible combinations:
S1: no tone plus feedback
S2: no tone plus no feedback
S3: tone plus feedback
S4: tone plus no feedback

Scoring
The following are provided by default:

• Mean reaction time (the mean of all reaction times)
• Median reaction time (the median of all reaction times)
• Minimum reaction time (the raw value of the shortest reaction time
• Maximum reaction time (the raw value of the longest reaction time)