Brief Glimpses of the Brain

Reviews the book, Reaction Times, edited by A. T. Welford (1981). The combination of title, author, and publisher suggest a powerful psychological study of reaction time. Yet the content of the book is not a grand analysis of reaction time but rather a compendium of unevenly written chapters about response time contributed by Welford and seven of his Australian colleagues with a heavy concentration on their own work. The book lacks quantitative presentations and often misrepresents quantitative theories. The extent of these misrepresentations is sufficiently large to make sections of the book unsuited to student instruction. Yet the volume's flaws may prove to be a blessing in disguise if the contributors seize this opportunity to make major revisions that lead towards a vastly improved second edition.