Cognitive Cycle

In the Model Human Processor framework, the cognitive cycle represents the time required for a person to process perceived information and make a decision about how to respond. A single cognitive cycle is approximately 70-110 milliseconds. Research with motion-impaired users has shown that physical actions assumed to be automatic — such as releasing a key after pressing it — may require additional cognitive cycles for people with motor disabilities, as they must consciously plan and control movements that able-bodied users perform without deliberate thought.