Reaction times and intelligence in Chinese and British children

239 British and 118 Chinese Hong Kong nine-year-old children, each representative for intelligence of Britain and Hong Kong, were tested on the Standard Progressive Matrices and on reaction times. The reaction time apparatus measured simple and complex reaction times proper (i.e., decision times), movement times, and variabilities. The results showed that all the reaction time measures were associated with intelligence and that Hong Kong children had a higher mean IQ and faster reaction times than British children. This suggests that the difference in mean IQ between Hong Kong and British children has a neurological basis. However, the British children showed faster movement times and lower variabilities, contrary to expectation. This suggests independent neurological processes may underlie reaction times, movement times, and variabilities.