In the Situation Reaction Test you receive a booklet of around 60 situations and about 30 minutes to write how you would react to each. That works out to roughly 30 seconds per situation.
What a reaction looks like
A reaction describes what you would do. It is not an essay about what should be done in general. Short, clear and practical responses usually read best.
Pacing
With a booklet you control your own pace. Some situations take a few seconds; others need more thought. The risk is spending too long on a few and leaving many unattempted. Practising with an overall time budget teaches you to keep moving.
Practising with a fixed 30 seconds per situation is also useful: it forces quick decisions and builds speed.
Common mistakes
- Writing long explanations instead of actions.
- Giving the same type of response to very different situations.
- Leaving many situations blank because time ran out.
A practice routine
- Alternate between per-situation timing and overall timing.
- Start with 15–20 situations, then build to the full 60.
- After each set, revisit the situations and check whether your reactions were practical and complete.
On SSB Psych Buddy you can choose either timing mode in a customised test, while sectional and complete mock tests use the standard 60 situations in 30 minutes. See SRT practice.