Donders' experiments

Donders' experiments aimed to measure how long mental processes take. He compared reaction times in tasks that required different levels of mental effort—for example, just pressing a button when a light appears versus deciding which button to press based on a light's color. By subtracting the simple response time from the more complex one, Donders estimated the duration of specific mental processes, such as decision-making. His work helped establish the concept that mental processes have measurable durations, laying the groundwork for cognitive psychology's study of mental functions.