What term best describes the delay between speech and mental processing?

The term "lag time" accurately describes the delay between speech and mental processing. In communication, lag time refers to the interval that occurs between when a speaker conveys a message and when the listener processes that message cognitively. This can be affected by various factors including the complexity of the information being communicated, the listener's familiarity with the topic, and the speed at which the speaker is talking.

Understanding lag time is crucial in various fields, especially in communication and education, as it highlights the importance of pacing and clarity in speech to ensure that the listener has adequate time to process information effectively. The other terms, while related to communication, do not specifically capture this delay in processing information: feedback delay generally refers to the time taken for a response to be given after a prompt, response time is typically associated with the time taken to reply after receiving a message, and communication gap often indicates a lack of understanding or connectivity in communication rather than quantifying the temporal delay involved in processing speech.