AUDIO VISUAL REACTION TIME

Description

Simple Reaction Time

Problem

To determine simple reaction time of the subject for visual stimuli.

Introduction:

In 1786 Maskelyne, Royal Astronomer at the Greenwich Observatory, dismissed his assistant, Kinnebrooke,who observed the times of star movements almost a second later than he did. Such an error was considered unpardonable because the calibration of clocks to determine the standard time depended on the correct observation of the place and time when the stars were seen. It was not until 1819 that a personal difference was discovered by the German astronomer, Bessel,who found an average difference of 1.041 seconds between him and another observer. Kinnebrooke's error was of the order of 0.8 second. This difference came to be called the personal equation, and was found to very with different individuals between 0.770 and 1.021 seconds. In order to minimize errors due to this personal equation, the chronograph and chronoscope were invented. By 1892,the Hipp Chronoscope was brought into use . This timing device measures time intervals in thousandths of a second, or milliseconds. Eventually , it was realized that at the human level, there is a measurable time lag between the appearance of a signal and the response to it . Research in experimental psychology has , since that time, made great strides forward in the exact measurement of what today goes by name of Reaction Time or response time.

One of the classical experiments of the psychological laboratory concerns the speed with which a stimulus elicits a response. The reaction time experiment has had a long history and still is a standard procedure in experimental psychology. It has remained a sensitive measure of the readiness of the organism or preparedness varies both with the stimulus situation as well as the sets and attitudes of the organism. "Time ", as woodworth says," as a dimension of every mental or behavioural process, lends itself to measurement, and can be used as an indicator of the complexity of performance or of the subject's readiness to perform…

Faulty procedures have been tried and found Unworkable, problems hopefully attacked have been found insoluble by the use of reaction time , and the reasons for these failures , as well as the sucesse's are really quite important contributions to the science of psychology". In the simple reaction time situation, the observer is instructed to respond to a single stimulus by withdrawing his finger from a key as soon as possible . The sense modality stimulated is an important parameter of every reaction time experiment. Speed of response varies with different sense modalities, as will be evident in Table

Typical Ranges of Simple Reaction Time

Within any given sense modality, reaction time varies considerably with the specific characteristics of the stimulus. An intense stimulus produces a response of greater magnitude in the sense organ a weak stimulus. In the case of visual stimuli, effective stimulation depends not only on the intensity of the stimulus, but also on duration, size and location of the area stimulated. Increases in duration of visual stimuli and the area of visual stimulation also shorten reaction time. The correlation between speed of reaction and effectiveness of stimulation appears also when the observer responds to change in the level of stimulation. The greater the change introduced in the experiment, the faster will be the reaction time. Reaction time to change is faster at a medium level of intensity than at a low level , but slower at a high level than at a medium level.

This system is used in various Psychological institutes to detect reaction time of the persons. Some where it can be used as IQ testing instrument also. There are two sides in the instrument-Experimentor side & Trainer side.A sheet seperates the two sides.There are two modes of functions- Light & sound. Any of these two functions can be selected by mode switch. There are four switches as well as four no.of L.E.D's on both the sides. The switches in the Experimentor side are to glow the lights, whle,the switches in Trainer side are to OFF the lights.First select the light mode & glow any light among the four & Trainer is asked to keep it OFF as quickly as he can do. The time taken by him is measured in LCD meter ie known as his reaction time.Similarly in 2nd mode ie sound mode start any sound using the same switches & ask the Trainer to keep the sound OFF immediately.Experimentor may change the mode of operation among. audio & visual through switch any time & many time during the whole test.The minimum time taken by the Trainer to OFF light/sound is called good reaction time.

Area of application: psychologist or psychiatrist uses this instrument for general IQ test of the person. This system is used in psychological institutes / hospitals to check the reaction test of the persons. In this system there are two sides- one isoperator's side & the other is trainer's side. There are 4 switches & 4 no. of lights on both sides.The switches in operator's side are responsible to glow the lights w hile the switches in trainer's side are to turn off the lights. Glow any light quite a sudden & ask the trainer to react the action & turn off the light imme diately from it's side. The time taken by the trainer is called reaction time & that is noted down in the timer.

Similarly in the 2nd mode there are 4 different melodies /tones. The operator will start any sound & the trainer is to turn it off immediately in the shortest time.Thus the operator can operate any f unction from light or sound & trainer is to react very fast to turn the same off.

The minimum time taken by the trainer to react is estimated as good reaction time. Features

1.     Modes of Operation- light and sound.

2.     Functions for light &sound 4 for each.

3.     LCD display for counting of Reaction Time.

4.     Soft touch switches.

5.     4colour LED's. 6. 4 tones in sound operation.

This system is used in various Psychological institutes to detect reaction time of the persons.Somewhere it can be used as IQ testing instrument also.

There are two sides in the instrument-Experimentor side & Trainer side.A sheet seperates the two sides. There are two modes of functions-Light & sound.Any of these two functions can be selected by mode switch.

There are four switches as well as four no.of L.E.D's o n both the sides.The switches in the Experimentor side are to glow the light s, whle,the switches in trainer side are to OFF the lights.

First select the light mode & glow any light among the four & Trainer is asked to keep it OFF as quickly as he can do.The time taken by him is measured in LCD meter ie known as his reaction time.

Similarly in 2nd mode ie sound mode start any sound using the same switches & ask the Trainer to keep the sound OFF imm ediately. Experimentor may change the mode of operation among audio & visual through switch any time & many time during the whole test.

The minimum time taken by the Trainer to OFF light/so and is called good reaction time.

IT COMES WITH ALL THE NECESSARY ACCESSORY.

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