6.2: Simple and Choice Reaction Time
- Page ID
- 100743
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)Simple and Choice Reaction Time
When someone reacts to a given stimuli many factors are involved. First, it is important to distinguish a reflex versus a reaction. A reflex is a “pre-programmed” or built in response of the nervous system to a given stimuli. There is no processing by the brain but there is some processing in the spinal cord. It is technically an unconscious movement but you are “knocked out” while doing it! Depending on the reflex, it can be a simple monosynaptic reflex, like the knee jerk reflex which will stimulate contraction of an agonist and inhibit an antagonist. The stimulus for the patellar tendon was stretch in the intrafusal fibers of the quadriceps, which causes the subsequent contraction, and thus the foot raises slightly if the person is in a relaxed seated position.
A more complicated reflex, like the crossed-extensor reflex, is the response a nociceptor or pain receptor. If someone stepped on a sharp object with their right foot, a multi-synaptic reflex would initiate not only hamstring contraction, and quadriceps inhibition, but the opposite leg would have quadriceps stimulation and hamstring inhibition. Also, stabilizers up or down the spinal may be initiated. Because there is no “central processing” by the brain, the response is very fast.
A Practiced Reaction- A pre-programmed reaction
Some individuals can perform a given response to a stimulus so often, that the neural pathway for that response is strengthened and thus the speed of the response is increased, and the amount of “thinking” is minimal. Athletes such as boxers or MMA athletes must have this type of “automated reaction” or they will not succeed. Likewise, a baseball player hitting a ball that moving in several planes at once at 90-100 miles per hour, or a football receiver catching a pass while running and avoiding the defender must have amazing reactions and it is because they have practiced it many, many times. Gymnasts must have amazing body awareness as they go twisting and flipping at high speeds and then must “stick a landing”. These performances come from repeated practice under many conditions. The brain does not need to do as much processing when the skill is well rehearsed or literally “ingrained” in the athlete or even the solider. Correct performance seems to come “naturally”, which couldn’t be further from the truth.
When a choice is entered into the equation, the reaction time, and error will increase. The number of car accidents that occur due to (texting) “pre-occupied drivers” is incredibly high. The statistics on car accidents, and deaths is mind boggling.
· The NHTSA (U.S.- DOT division) claimed 2841 deaths in 2018 due to texting and driving.
· 1.6 million crashes happen each year due to using a cell phone while driving
· 1 out of 4 of the 390,000 injuries happen each year due to texting and driving.
· It is estimated you are 24 times more likely to crash if texting while driving!
· 14% of all fatal car crashes due to texting and the 20–29-year-old group is the highest of these.
· It is estimated 660.000 U.S. drivers use their cell phone while driving.
Work Sheet for Part B
A. Please do this exercise and record your results. Go the following website and follow the instructions.
https://www.psytoolkit.org/lessons/simple_choice_rts.html
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Reaction Type |
avg time |
% Errors |
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simple |
||
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choice |
B. Finally, use your phone’s stopwatch function. 1st try to stop the stopwatch at 5 or 10 seconds. How close did you get? Average 5 attempts (i.e. 5.11- 5= 0.11 or 5.05 is 0.05). 2nd try to start and stop the stopwatch as fast as possible. Again, take the average of 5. Which was smaller the 1st or 2nd exercise? Thoughts?