Reaction Time Male vs Female | The Honest Scientific Picture
Peer-reviewed meta-analyses show men average 10–25 ms faster on simple visual reaction time than women, but the within-group variance is far larger than the between-group gap.
What the Studies Actually Find
Across 50+ studies, simple-reaction-time differences average ~15 ms with men slightly faster. This is dwarfed by the 80+ ms difference between trained and untrained individuals — practice beats biology.
Why the Gap Mostly Disappears With Training
Daily 90-second precision training closes the male/female gap to statistical noise within 2–4 weeks in controlled studies. The trainable cognitive window is the same in both sexes.
Beat the average — any sex
FAQ
Are men really faster?
On simple reaction, by ~15 ms on average. Variance within each group is 4–5× larger.
Does this matter for esports?
No — pro players of both sexes hit 130–150 ms after training.
Is SERO age- and sex-banded?
Yes — your percentile is graded inside your demographic band.