Method for determining human reaction. Mental speed and reaction time measurement

Purpose of the work- determination of human reaction time. Familiarization with statistical processing of measurement results.

Devices and accessories: measuring system ISM - 1, remote control - button.

Introduction Processing the results of direct physical measurements

Physical measurements carried out with sufficiently accurate measuring instruments give values ​​that differ from the true value of the measured quantity. Moreover, deviations, both upward and downward, are equally probable. The measurement accuracy in the case of a small series of tests allows one to evaluate the Student method. The half-width of the confidence interval is taken as the measurement error according to the formula

G
de τ (α, n) - Student's coefficient for n measurements at confidence probability α (the table of Student coefficients is given in the appendix at the end of this collection),< x > - arithmetic mean of the measured value

Where p - number of measurements.

The measurement result must be presented in a standard form

at α = 0.95.

Brief description of installation

To measure time intervals in the mechanics laboratory, the ISM-1 measuring system is used, which has a fairly wide range of functions:

Measuring time intervals between various events, including using photo sensors;

measurement of delay time and oscillation phase difference;

control of actuators;

power supply to the motor or other devices with direct or alternating voltage.

The system controls are located on the front panel of the ISM-1 module (Fig. 1).

This work will require the following controls:

1 - indicator reflecting the time of the event in seconds or milliseconds, depending on the position of switch 2;

3 - indicators for turning on the corresponding sensors;

4 - switch for the number of measured cycles;

5 - switch for cyclic or single measurement of a period of time;

6 - button for manually turning on/off the time meter; 7 - button for bringing the device into a ready state (reset);

8 - polarity switch of the device’s power source (in this work it should be in the upper or lower position);

9 - gyroscope switch;

10 - device switch.

Procedure for performing laboratory work

1. Connect the remote control button to connector No. 1, located on the back wall of the device.

2. Place the device controls in the appropriate positions: a) switch for the number of measured cycles 4 - “:1”; b) switch for cyclic or single measurement 5- “ONE-TIME”; c) gyroscope switch 9 - to the middle position.

3. Turn on the power to the device.

Prepare the device for measuring time intervals: press button 7 "READY".

One student picks up the remote control - a button, and the other presses the button to manually start the time meter 6.

The first student, hearing the sound signal of the meter turning on, presses the button on the remote control. The indicator displays the reaction time of the first student to the sound signal.

Record the reaction time in the table. Repeat measuring the person’s reaction time according to items 4 - 7 five to seven times.

8. Calculate the average human reaction time using the formula:

Where n- number of measurements.

9. Calculate the absolute error Δ t measurements using the formula:

where τ (α ,p) - Student's coefficient depending on reliability α and number of measurements n(see appendix at the end of the collection).

1
0. Calculate the relative measurement error using the formula

11. Write down the measurement result in standard form

, With
at α = 0.95.

Determination of reaction speed

Is there anyone who has not heard the phrase “response speed”? How many times have we “saved” mugs and plates at the last moment? How many times has she determined the result of competitions, relay races and competitions? Unexpected things can happen to any person, both at home and on the street, at any moment, and then
his health will directly depend on the speed of his reaction. But it is required not only for ordinary life. This is a professionally important quality for astronauts, pilots, sailors, military personnel, athletes, drivers, and operators. Hundreds of professions, thousands of situations, every day.

Probably, many people want to know the speed of their reaction or get an answer to the question: “Will I be able to catch up with Schumacher?” Will I be able to become a pilot or just increase my reaction speed a little?
What needs to be done for this?

First you need to measure it. It is not difficult to guess that the speed or speed of a reaction is measured by time, more precisely, by the time of a simple conditioned reflex reaction .

It is measured using complex instruments - chronoreflexometers,

and very simple and accessible means, for example, a school ruler. By the way, no less accurate.
Remember... everything ingenious is simple.

Measuring a simple conditioned reflex response

A simple conditioned reflex reaction is carried out as a simple movement in response to a simple signal. The signal-movement relationship is set by instructions spoken by the laboratory assistant.

Instructions
“You are offered a test of measuring reaction time using a school ruler. Need to catch her
in free fall.

The measurement is taken while standing. Keep your leading hand (right hand for right-handers) at chest level. Big
and the index finger must be brought as close as possible, but not touch the surface of the ruler. The zero mark should be located at the level of the upper edge of the index finger. As soon as you see the ruler falling, you should grab it. No additional command will be issued.
The measurement is carried out 3 times. Are you ready? Be careful."

Procedure
The measurement is carried out by two people. The readings are taken at the upper border of the index finger.

Interpretation of measurement results
After the measurement, the arithmetic mean of the three measurements is calculated and compared with the norms.

Norms

Video file “Measuring reaction time”

And now information for those who still want to get answers to their questions.

How to convert centimeters to milliseconds?

What is the limitation on human reaction speed?

The speed of a person’s reaction is determined by the functioning of the nervous system. When a person reacts to a very strong irritation that is life-threatening, for example, when he withdraws his hand from a hot object -
a simple reflex comes into play, in which the brain does not take part. Signal from the receptor
along the nerve fiber it goes to the spinal cord and then directly to the muscle, passing through only three nerve cells - a sensory neuron, an interneuron in the spinal cord and a motor neuron. The speed of the nerve impulse along the processes of nerve cells here is several tens of meters/sec. The determining factor is the time of synaptic transmission - about 0.1 sec.

First, the person withdraws his hand, and then feels pain. This is due to the fact that from pain receptors in
The brain signal travels along a different type of nerve fiber at a lower speed.

If we are talking about a person’s reaction to a stone flying at him, then there is also a reflex reaction: the eye transmits a signal about rapid movement not only to the parts of the brain where they are processed (and we understand: “a stone is flying”), but also through special nerves paths - to the muscles, which provides a quick avoidance reaction - moving to the side, jumping away, etc.

If we are talking about reaction when playing tennis, then a gradual improvement in reaction is associated with the formation of stereotypical reflexes that allow one to react without the participation of the cerebral cortex (without thinking), and, most importantly, such reactions are carried out without feedback, that is, there is no constant adjustment of movement . And when we are just learning to make a new movement, a complex interaction occurs: a signal about the action is sent to the muscle, a signal about the result of the action is sent back from it,
and an adjustment is underway, i.e. the muscle moves under constant control, which takes a lot of time.
All these processes involve different areas of the cerebellum and some other brain structures.

How to increase your reaction speed

The speed of human reaction can be increased. You can learn to respond to stimuli that precede an action. For example, not for a boxer’s blow, but for preparing for it - after all, before
hit the enemy will definitely look at the target, change his position, tense his muscles, inhale... There is more than enough time. You just need to develop a conditioned reflex, plant a new stimulus in the subconscious
and the response to it.

This exercise can help you with this:

Game of firecrackers.
The first partner stands and positions his open palm so that it is convenient for the second to hit it. For example, he stands sideways to the second person, holding his open palm in front of him. The second partner hits
palms of the first at arbitrary times. The task of the first is to remove the palm, the task of the second is to hit. You can keep score. Then the partners change. The principle inherent in this game can be transferred to other technical actions, for example, cutting and avoiding kicks at the lower level.

It is known that the subconscious reaction associated with the right hemisphere of the brain is much faster than the conscious reaction associated with the left hemisphere. It is logical to assume that it is in the subconscious that the
responses to a specific stimulus may be predetermined. And this is achieved through repeated repetition of movements during training. In total, you need to score about 5-10 thousand repetitions, and it makes no sense to do more than 300 repetitions at a time. 300 is a big enough number, it basically works out
no more than 200 movements per training, then it turns out that the subconscious assimilation of a motor pattern ideally requires about two months. Motor reactions must be carried out at the level of conditioned reflexes, and for this, as you can see, serious training is necessary.

Laboratory work “Measuring the time of a simple sensorimotor reaction”

Purpose of laboratory work:

Measuring the time of a simple sensorimotor reaction to light and sound stimuli.

Devices and accessories:

Psychophysiological testing device “Reflexometer”.

Brief theory:

Human reaction time is the time interval from the beginning of exposure to any irritant to the body’s response.

Consists of three phases: the time of passage of nerve impulses from receptors to the cerebral cortex; the time required for the perception of nerve impulses by the brain and the organization of a response in the central nervous system; the body's response time. The reaction time depends on the type of stimulus (sound, light, temperature, pressure, etc.) and its intensity, the body’s training to perceive this stimulus, its expectedness, etc.

The reaction time to stimuli of different modalities is different. The shortest reaction time is obtained in response to auditory stimuli, longer - to light, the longest - to olfactory and tactile.

According to the degree of complexity, a person’s voluntary reactions can be divided into the following four types:

1 simple sensorimotor reaction;

2 sensorimotor reaction differences;

3 sensorimotor reaction of choice;

4 reaction to a moving object.

1 A simple sensorimotor reaction in psychology is a reaction that occurs under the conditions of presenting one pre-known signal and receiving one specific response.

For example, in response to sound, light, tactile, etc. signals, a person must carry out a certain action as quickly as possible - press a key or pronounce a certain syllable. Research shows that at suprathreshold intensity of the stimulus, the time of a simple reaction is determined mainly by the physical nature of the stimulus and the characteristics of the perceiving receptor. The highest speed of a simple reaction was obtained when using sound and tactile signals (105 - 180 ms). The speed of reaction to the visual signal turned out to be significantly slower (150 - 225 ms).

This is explained by the fact that the reception time of sound and tactile stimuli is much shorter than the reaction time of a visual stimulus, since in the latter case a significant proportion of the time is occupied by the photochemical process that converts light energy into a nerve impulse.

2 Sensorimotor discrimination reaction refers to a reaction that is produced under conditions when a person must react only to one of two or more signals (letters, sounds, syllables), and, accordingly, a response action must be performed only to this signal.

3 The sensorimotor reaction of choice also occurs when two or more signals are presented, but on the condition that you need to respond to each of them with your own specific action. Compared with the simple reaction time, the discrimination reaction time and the choice reaction time are noticeably longer.

The reaction time to stimuli of different modalities is different. The shortest reaction time is obtained in response to auditory stimuli, longer - to light, the longest - to olfactory and tactile.

When controlling equipment, in addition to the reaction time, it is also necessary to take into account the time of movement of the organs of the human body and the time of interaction of the operator with the controls (Table 4).

Table 4 - Reaction time values ​​for various body movements

Dependence of reaction time on the level of training, gender, age and various influences on the body.

It has been shown experimentally (N.I. Krylov, 1957, N.I. Chuprikova, 1957, E.I. Boyko, 1964, E.N. Surkov, 1984, V.P. Ozerov, 1989) that:

1 Under the influence of training, reaction time is not only shortened, but also stabilized, i.e. becomes less susceptible to various kinds of influences.

2 The shortening of reaction time is most significant in the first days of performing the corresponding exercises.

3 The simple reaction is influenced by exercise to a noticeably lesser extent than the choice reaction. In particular, after just one day of training, the choice reaction time can be reduced by 30-40%, while a simple sensorimotor reaction can be reduced by only 10%.

What are the reasons for shorter reaction times after appropriate training? It is known that any new stimulus first causes an indicative reaction with a more or less extensive and prolonged irradiation of the excitatory process throughout the cerebral cortex, which is then replaced by a concentration phase. As the stimulus is repeated, habituation occurs, which is accompanied by less and less pronounced irradiation of excitation with a simultaneous increase in the dynamism of the emerging nervous processes. The gradual reduction of the irradiation phase and the achievement of a certain level of chronic (or static) concentration of the excitatory process in the cortex, apparently, are one of the most important reasons for the shortening of reaction time during training.

The second reason, closely related to the first, is the increasing persistence of cortical foci of excitation as conditioned connections become stronger. The third reason is associated with a change in the very structure of temporary connections, the replacement of more complex secondary-signal associations with simpler primary-signal ones.

Starting from 3.5-4 and up to 18-20 years, the reaction time is steadily decreasing. Then it stabilizes, and after 40 years, as we age, it gradually increases by about 1.5 times (A.G. Usov, 1960).

A number of studies (E.P. Ilyin, 1983, E.N. Surkov, 1984, Ozerov, 1989) note gender differences, consisting in the fact that the average reaction time in girls, compared with boys, and in women, compared with men, somewhat longer.

Table 5 - Dependence of the time of a simple sensorimotor reaction of a person on the physical and psycho-emotional state of a person

Installation description:

The “Reflexometer” device, which uses light and sound signals as a stimulus, allows you to measure time.

The installation consists of a signal conditioning unit with an alphanumeric indicator (1); a control unit with start (stop) buttons for the recording device (3) and a light (sound) signal unit (2). Test results are displayed on an alphanumeric indicator and stored in the microcontroller's memory.

In this device, the microcontroller performs all the main functions, namely, it supplies test signals, measures reaction time, displays information on an alphanumeric indicator and stores it in its non-volatile memory (EEPROM - electrically erasable reprogrammable Read Only Memory (ROM)).

The device is controlled using the (Start/Reset) button, which is pressed to successively switch operating modes, or with a computer mouse. Pressing is accompanied by a sound signal.

The device diagram is shown in Figure 6.

Figure 6 - Electrical circuit of the reflexometer

The clock frequency of the microcontroller is stabilized by a ZQ1 quartz resonator. Its frequency (4.096 MHz) is chosen so that it is convenient to use it for measuring time intervals. Button SB1 is connected to port line RA0 (pin 17) of the microcontroller through current-limiting resistor R3. If its contacts are open, there is a low level on this port line; if they are closed, there is a high level. LCD HG1 with a built-in controller is used to display information. It displays two lines of sixteen characters each and is equipped with LED backlighting.

The indicator is controlled by the DD1 microcontroller via lines RBO, RB1 and RB4--RB7, data is loaded in nibbles. By selecting resistor R7, the desired image contrast is set. On port line RB2, a control signal is generated for field-effect transistor VT1, which turns on (turns off) the LCD backlight, resistor R6 is current-limiting. A pulse signal with a frequency of 4 kHz is generated on port line RB3, which is supplied through resistor R4 to the acoustic emitter HA1.

The device is powered from an external source of direct or alternating voltage 8... 12 V, the current consumption does not exceed 130 mA. Diode bridge VD1 rectifies alternating voltage or supplies direct voltage to the elements of the device in the required polarity. The supply voltage of the microcontroller and LCD is stabilized by the integrated stabilizer DA1, capacitors C1-C3, C6, C7 are smoothing.

After supplying the supply voltage, data is read from the EEPROM of the microcontroller. A short single beep sounds and the HG1 indicator lights up. The inscription “Record Record” appears in its top line. The best result of the current session is displayed on the right - when you first turn it on, this is the maximum possible measurable time interval - 9.999 s. On the left is the best result for the entire operating time of the device, also 9.999 s when turned on for the first time.

Before pressing the SB1 button, the value of the duration of the pre-start pause is generated. It ranges from 1 to 8.2 s and is random. After pressing the SB1 button and releasing it, the countdown of the pre-start pause will begin, the LCD information will be reset, and its backlight will turn off. Then the acoustic emitter emits a single sound signal. After the pause has expired, the start moment comes - the LCD backlight turns on, a sound signal (light signal) sounds and the time countdown begins. The device measures the reaction time in the range of 0.001...9.999 in steps of 0.001 s.

If the subject does not press a button within 9.999 s, the beep stops and the instrument returns to the initial state where the best results are displayed. When you press the button within the specified time interval, the counting stops and the sound signal turns off. The inscription “Reaction Reaction” appears on the top line of the LCD, the number of measurements (maximum 255) appears on the bottom left, and the measured reaction time appears on the right.

Next, the obtained result is compared with the best results for the current and for the entire operating time of the device. When a new record is recorded, data is rewritten in the EEPROM of the microcontroller. After pressing the SB 1 button and releasing it, the device returns to its initial state. If you press the button before the start (false start), a double beep will sound, the LCD backlight will turn on and the inscription “F.start F. start” will appear in the top line. After a few seconds the device will return to its original state.

Work progress:

1 Turn on the device by setting the toggle switch to the “On” position. After supplying the supply voltage, a short single beep sounds and the indicator backlight turns on. The inscription “Record Record” appears in its top line. The best result of the current session is displayed on the right, and the best result for the entire operating time of the device is displayed on the left.

2 Sit at the table in a comfortable position. The subject should look only at the block of light (sound) signals. Move the right toggle switch to the “Sound” position.

3 Place your hand on the installation control panel (Start/Reset button, computer mouse) so that the index finger of your right (left) hand rests freely on the button.

4 Press the Start/Reset button. After pressing the button and releasing it, the countdown of the pre-start pause will begin, the LCD information will be reset, and its backlight will turn off. Then the acoustic emitter gives a single sound signal and the countdown begins. After the pause expires, the start moment comes - the LCD backlight turns on, a beep sounds and the time countdown begins. The device measures the reaction time in the range of 0.001...9.999 in steps of 0.001 s.

5 When a sound signal appears, you must press the mouse button as quickly as possible and stop counting; the sound signal turns off. The inscription “Reaction Reaction” appears on the top line of the LCD, the number of measurements (maximum 255) appears on the bottom left, and the measured reaction time appears on the right.

6 Press the “Start/Reset” button, as a result of which the device returns to its original state. If you press the mouse button before the start (false start), a double beep will sound, the LCD backlight will turn on and the inscription “F.start F. start” will appear in the top line. After a few seconds the device will return to its original state.

7 The measurement must be carried out 10 to 30 times, then find the average reaction time. Switching the toggle switch to the “Light” position, repeat steps 1-13.

8 From the results obtained, subtract the time spent moving the phalanx of the finger (0.17 sec.). Compare the resulting reaction time to light and sound stimuli with the values ​​given in Table 3.

Conclusions: for this laboratory work, a psychophysiological testing device “Reflexometer” was created with a detailed description of the tasks and instructions for performing the work.

To determine the speed of the sensorimotor reaction, volunteers of both sexes aged from 19 to 23 years in different psycho-emotional states were studied. The test was carried out in conditions of silence and the absence of other stimuli, in a comfortable body position and with the presence of an elbow support to reduce the influence of static contraction of the arm muscles. To determine the speed of a simple sensorimotor reaction, subjects were presented with visual stimuli in the form of a green lamp with a diameter of 0.3 cm and a sound signal. When the required green signal appears, the volunteer’s task is to press the key as quickly as possible. The time between the appearance of signals was random and ranged from 1 to 7 seconds. The subjects were warned that in each series of the study they would first be presented with 10 light signals (a study of the time of a simple sensorimotor reaction), then 10 sound signals.

The test was carried out on 15 subjects, 5 of whom were in an inhibited state.

Only the sensorimotor reaction time was assessed, and errors in performing the task were excluded. To combat artifacts, the first values ​​in each reaction whose time exceeded 2000 ms were excluded. The latter obviously exceed the time of the sensorimotor reaction and are most often associated with the distraction of subjects from performing the test.

According to the results of the research, it follows that for ten students, the average reaction time to a light stimulus is approximately 0.327 s, to a sound stimulus - 0.302 s. These values ​​correspond to the norm for an ordinary, untrained person. In five students who were in a state of inhibition caused by short sleep, the average reaction time to a light stimulus was equal to 0.497, to a sound stimulus - 0.472 s. These values ​​correspond to a low simple sensorimotor reaction.

However, these results are the norm, because Human reaction time ranges from 0.1 to 0.5 seconds. For example, the duration of the driver’s response to traffic signals in a populated area is 0.3-0.4 s. Reaction time depends on the degree of training of a person. For more trained people, the reaction time is quite low, approximately 0.13-0.15 s. Reaction time is affected by factors such as fatigue, inattention, and the use of tonics or alcohol. When taking a small dose of alcohol, the reaction time increases by 2-4 times.

Reaction time (reaction time )

Reaction time (RT) measurement is probably the most venerable subject in empirical psychology. It originated in the field of astronomy, in 1823, with the measurement of individual differences in the speed of perception of a star crossing a telescope line. These measurements were called personal equation and were used to adjust astronomical time measurements to account for differences between observers. The term “VR” was introduced in 1873 by the Austrian physiologist Sigmund Exner.

In psychology, the study of VR has a double history. Both of its branches go back to the second half of the 19th century, and Cronbach called them experimental. psychology and differential psychology - two “disciplines of scientific psychology”. These branches originated in the laboratories of W. Wundt, the founder of the experiment. psychology, and F. Galton, the creator of psychometry and differential psychology. In experimental psychology VR was of interest mainly as a way of analyzing mental. processes and the discovery of general laws governing the mechanisms of perception and thinking. In differential psychology, VR was of interest as a way of measuring individual differences in mental ability, especially general mental ability, stemming from Galton's assumption that the biologist. the basis of individual differences in ability is the speed of mental operations (together with sensory absolute and differential sensitivity). These two branches of research. VRs were considered more or less separately, respectively. literature throughout the history of psychology. However, the last decade has witnessed significant cross-pollination between the two fields, as researchers and experimental cogn. psychol., and in differential psychology they adopted the methodology of mental chronometry, or measuring the time of processing information. in NS.

Research VR cannot be explained without resorting to special terminology to describe the essential features of VR measurement paradigms and methodology. In a typical VR experiment, the observer (N) is brought into a state of attentive anticipation by a preparatory stimulus (PS), which usually belongs to a different sensory modality than the subsequent response stimulus (SR), to which N responds. . an open (physical) response (P), such as pressing or releasing a telegraph key or button, usually with the index finger. The time elapsed between the end of the PS and the beginning of the SR constitutes the preparatory interval (PI). Typically it ranges from 1 to 4 s, varying randomly so that H cannot learn to anticipate the exact moment of the start of the SR. The interval (usually measured in ms) between the presentation of SR and the appearance of P is the RT, also called. response time (RT). In some VR paradigms, the H response is actually a double response with two different actions: a) releasing a button, and then b) pressing another button, causing the termination of the SR action. In this case, the interval between the beginning of the SR and the reaction of releasing the button is MT, and the interval between the release reaction and the reaction of pressing another button is the movement time (MT), also measured in ms. (TD is usually much shorter than TD.) The apparatus for measuring TD and TD is usually extremely simple, but the critical aspect is the accuracy and reliability of the timing mechanisms. Older mechanical chronoscopes were quite accurate, but they required frequent calibration. Nowadays, microcomputers with electronic timers provide greater accuracy and stability of VR measurements; The trial-to-trial variability in H far exceeds any measurement error attributable to the BP measurement device itself. Accurate measurement of VR has proven useful in psychophysics for scaling the strength and discrimination of sensations in VR units, as well as for obtaining an objective scale of relationships with internationally standardized ones. unit level.

Based on this simple VR paradigm, other, more complex VR paradigms are being developed, with the goal of distinguishing between sensorimotor and cognitive aspects of performance. Fundamental improvements were made in 1862 by the Dutch physiologist Frans C. Donders, whose versions of the VR paradigm made it possible to measure the speed of specific mental processes. processes in contrast to the sensorimotor components of VR. Therefore it is rightly called. creator of mental chronometry. Donders identified three paradigms, which are called. A-, B- and C - reactions: A - simple reaction time (SRT) (i.e. one R per one SR); B is the choice reaction time (CRT), also denoted as the time of a disjunctive reaction (i.e., two (or more) different SRs and two (or more) different Ps, requiring N to distinguish between different SRs and select the corresponding P from a number alternatives (e.g., different buttons)) and C - discrimination reaction time (DRT) (i.e., two (or more) SRs, which H must distinguish, are presented in a random sequence, but only one P is allowed for a single one SR (designated by the experimenter), while N should inhibit the response to another SR.

Typical procedure, basic on any of these paradigms, represents a series of practices. samples to ensure H understands the requirements of the task, followed by a large series of test samples to ensure a sufficiently stable and reliable measurement of BP. Since there is a physiologist. limit of the maximum reaction speed (about 180 ms for visual and 140 ms for auditory stimuli), the distribution of RT of any H is noticeably skewed to the right. Therefore, the preferred measure of the central tendency of the distribution of BP obtained on the basis n samples of any H, is the median, since it is less sensitive to the skewness of the distribution than the average. A logarithmic transformation of BP values ​​is often used because the logarithm of BP values ​​has an approximately normal (Gaussian) distribution. VR values, which are less than the best estimates of the physiologist. limits of RT for a given sensory modality are usually rejected as anticipatory errors. Dr. the measured characteristic of the BP data is the intra-individual variability of BP, measured as standard deviation ( SD) values ​​of BP of a specific H, obtained in n samples (denoted SD VR). This characteristic has interesting properties - both experimental and organismic, which are different from the properties of VR per se. More complex paradigms than VPR, such as the selection and discrimination reactions identified by Donders, obviously allow for the possibility of erroneous reactions and, therefore, the possibility of adopting a compromise strategy in relation to the speed-accuracy relationship, in which the accuracy of the response is sacrificed to the pure speed. Errors can be significantly minimized through H instructions that emphasize both accuracy and speed of response.

In theory and research. VR primarily takes into account the fact that VPR and increasingly complex VR paradigms include two sources of time, which can be called peripheral and central. Duncan Luce, leading researcher in the field of mathematics. decision-making models explains this as follows.

Perhaps the first thing that simple reaction time data suggest is that the measured RT is, at a minimum, the sum of two very different time components. One of them is associated with decision processes performed by the central nervous system and aimed at making a decision at the time when a certain signal is presented. Dr. the component concerns the time it takes to convert and transmit a signal to the brain, and the time it takes for the commands sent by the brain to activate the muscles that provide the reactions.

Basic The assumption of mental chronometry is that information processing. occurs in real time, passing through a certain sequence of stages, and the measured total time from setting to solving a mental problem could be analyzed from the viewpoint the time required for each stage of processing. Essentially, this is a consequence of the subtraction method proposed by Donders. However, the assumption of sequential, with clearly defined stages, information processing. it turned out several. simplified, since in plural. In cases where parallel processing occurs and interaction occurs between the underlying processes, additional processes are called upon by the increased complexity of the task. Therefore, to determine whether the information processing stages are separated in time, partially overlapping, or interacting in solving any given problem, were developed. statistical methods based on analysis of variance, such as Saul Sternberg's method of additive factors.

To the main let's experiment variables influencing RT include the nature of the PS and the length of the PI, the sensory modality of the SR, the intensity and duration of the SR, the nature of the reaction, the degree of compatibility between the stimulus and the response (for example, the spatial proximity of the SR to the response button), the amount of preliminary training in performing the task and the impact of the experimenter's instructions on the level of motivation or motivation of N to establish the ratio of speed and accuracy of reactions. Organismal factors influencing VR include the age of the subject, concentration on a task, tremor of the fingers, anoxia (for example, at high altitudes), stimulants and depressants (caffeine, tobacco, alcohol), physical activity. shape, daily fluctuations in body temperature (higher temperatures imply faster reactions) and physiologist. state of H at a specific time of day (eg, recent food intake slows down HR). In general, factors that increase BP increase SD VR. These organismal variables appear to have a greater influence on the central, or cognitive, component of RT than on its peripheral component, as follows from a comparative analysis of their effects on RT and RT.

One of the most stable and theoretically attractive phenomena in the field of VR, which has been studied extensively by experimental psychologists, is the linear relationship between VR and the logarithm of a number ( n) choices, or alternative reactions, in the RTW task. Although this phenomenon was discovered in 1934 by the German psychologist G. Blank, the established dependence itself was called. “Hick’s law” thanks to an article published by V. E. Hick containing fruitful ideas. In particular, Hick argued that the slope (or slope) of the line BP as a function of the binary logarithm n reflects the speed of information processing, measured as the amount of information processed per unit of time (for example, 40 ms per information bit). The inverse of the slope coefficient (x 1000) expresses the speed of information processing, estimated by the number of bits/s. One bit (for a binary sign) as a unit of information used in information theory corresponds to the amount of information that reduces the uncertainty by half; the number of bits in VRT tasks is equal to the binary logarithm p. Hick and other authors proposed neurological and mat. models of linear dependence of VR on the amount of information processed.

What could be called the Galtonian branch of the application of VR can be seen in the example of research. individual differences, especially in mental abilities, although VR has also been used in psychopathological studies. (schizophrenics, for example, have an unusually slow reaction time and variability in its time compared to mentally normal people of the same age and IQ). Galton was the first to suggest in 1862 that the biologist. basis of individual differences in general mental ability (later called factor g, i.e., a common factor identified in any set of heterogeneous mental tests) m. b. measured using the BP estimate. Galton measured the reaction time of thousands of people while they performed a variety of sensorimotor tasks in visual, auditory and other modalities. Nevertheless, his BP measurements were fundamental. on too few samples to have sufficient reliability, and did not allow us to detect significant correlations with c.-l. external criteria of mental abilities, such as educational and professional levels (tests IQ did not exist at that time). Dr. attempts to confirm Galton's hypothesis, undertaken at the beginning of the century, brought disappointment, and therefore interest in using VR measurements in works on differential psychology was lost, but, as developments showed, prematurely.

Research VR at the time was methodologically naive, and the arguments for concluding that there was no relationship between VR and intelligence were equally naive. These early studies contained so many flaws, which primarily included extremely high measurement error, a limited range of abilities in the samples examined, inadequate and unreliable measures of intelligence, and the lack of sufficiently powerful methods of statistical analysis and inference, that it was practically impossible to obtain a result. l. scientifically significant results. Premature abandonment of VR as a research tool. mental abilities of people, was ist. precedent for what statisticians call a Type II error—accepting the null hypothesis when it is false.

Half a century later, thanks to the creation of information theory, the development of experiments. cogn. psychol. and the formulation on their basis of the concept of individual differences in intelligence as a reflection of the speed or efficiency of elementary information. processes, Galton's hypothesis was brought back to life and retested. Its time came around 1970. Microcomputers with precise timing mechanisms, sophisticated measurement theory, and improved statistical methods for multivariate analysis offered advantages that Galton and his immediate successors had been denied. Since the 1970s there is an increasing pace of publications devoted to research. connections between BP and mental abilities, especially factor g. Most of these publications appeared in two psychol. magazines: "Intelligence" ( Intelligence) and "Personality and Individual Differences" ( Personality and Individual Differences). Some theories and empirical research. summarized in books edited by Eysenck and Vernon.

Unlike Galton and his early followers, modern. researchers use a wide variety of tasks called elementary cognitive tasks (ECT), in which VR (and often SD VR, VD, and SD VD) are dependent variables. These ECs vary in the number or complexity of their cognitive demands and are designed to reflect the time components required to implement hypothetical information. processes such as stimulus perception, discrimination, selection, visual scanning of many elements in search of a given “target” element, scanning of information retained in short-term memory (for example, Sternberg’s paradigm), search and retrieval of information. from long-term memory (eg, Posner's paradigm), categorization of words and objects, and semantic verification of short declarative statements. Although there is no way to describe the research here. each of these EKI in detail, the RT data obtained in each of them showed significant correlations with psychometric intelligence, or IQ. Some of the main The results in this area are reproduced with sufficient consistency to allow a number of empirical generalizations to be made:

1. VR, VD, SD VR and SD VDs decrease from infancy to adulthood and increase during late adulthood and old age. Age differences are more strongly associated with the central, or cognitive, components of these variables than with the peripheral, or sensorimotor, components.
2. Negative correlations between VR and IQ for each individual EKZ fluctuate between -0.1 and -0.5, averaging -0.35. This correlation is not a function of test completion rate IQ, and the surprising thing about these correlations is that VR was measured when performing EKZ, which actually have no intellectual content and do not require the specific knowledge and skills necessary to perform the tests IQ. In addition to sensorimotor components, VR and SD VRs are likely content-free measures of information speed and efficiency. processes.
3. VR is more strongly correlated (negatively) with g-factor than with other factors (independent of g), which make up part of the variance of psychometric tests, such as verbal, spatial, numerical, mnemonic and speed office factors plus specific factors.
4. Variability in correlations between RT and psychometric abilities is associated with factor loadings g specific psychometric tests, differences in range boundaries IQ in samples and the degree of complexity of the EKZ used to measure BP, the edges probably depend on the number of different information. processes required by a specific task, and the amount of information that needs to be processed to achieve the correct reaction.
5. There is an inverted U-shaped relationship between the magnitude of the RT-correlation IQ and the complexity of the task. VR tasks of medium complexity show the highest correlation with IQ; further increase in task complexity causes individual differences in cognitive strategies, which are often not associated with g.
6. VR is more strongly correlated with IQ, than VD. The sensorimotor, or peripheral, component of VR, which accounts for a relatively larger portion of the variance in VR than in VR and other more complex forms of VR, is not associated with IQ. Hence, provided that the VR measures are sufficiently reliable, removing peripheral components from the VRV and VRV by subtracting the VRV increases the correlation of these measures with IQ.
7. SD RT (i.e. intra-individual variability of RT) shows a higher negative correlation with IQ than VR itself. In addition to the large share of variance common to VR and SD BP (edge ​​negatively correlates with IQ), VR and SD VR also contains unique components that negatively correlate with IQ. A theory is expressed. assumption that SD VR reflects errors, or “noise,” in the transmission of information. in NS.
8. Although the correlations between VR and SD VR, main on the performance of one EKZ, in general, are small (in most cases from -0.2 to -0.4), when a number of EKZ are used, requiring various cognitive processes for their solution, their multiple correlation ( R) With IQ(and especially with the g factor) rises to 0.70 (corrected for compression); magnitude R depends on the number of different EKZs included in the analysis. That the adjusted multiple correlation coefficient ( R), basic on a set of different EKZs, is significantly greater than the zero-order correlation coefficient ( r), calculated from data from the execution of any one EKZ, suggests that IQ(or psychometric g) reflects a number of different information. processes that to some extent do not correlate with each other. People who differ in IQ, and also differ, on average, in the speed or efficiency of those brain processes that mediate the implementation of this EKZ.

Edwin G. Boring stated in 1926 that “if intelligence (as measured by tests) is eventually established to be related to any kind of mental intelligence, it will have important consequences, both practical and theoretical.” Today there is no “if” in this: the connection between intelligence and VR is firmly established. However, Boring's prediction remains to be understood and implemented.

See also Anticipation method, Ergopsychometry, Physiological psychology, Sensorimotor processes

Invention lesson "Measuring human reactions using a ruler." How to measure a person's reaction time using a ruler? “Reaction time is the length from the beginning of the signal to the human body’s reaction to this signal. It depends on the age, fitness and well-being of the person. For example, the reaction time to an auditory signal is 0.12 - 0.14 s, and to a visual signal 0.13 - 0.15 s. Reaction time is one of the most important selection criteria for drivers, operators, pilots and astronauts.” What do you think is your reaction time?

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“Measuring a person’s reaction time using a ruler, a lesson in invention”

Municipal budgetary educational institution

city ​​of Kerch, Republic of Crimea

"School No. 25"

Development of an open physics lesson on the topic:

"MEASURING HUMAN REACTION TIME USING A RULER"

Prepared by the teacher

physicists Drotenko I.N.

2017

Measuring human reaction time using a ruler.

Invention Lesson

Goals:

Educational: learn to measure a person’s reaction time using a ruler;

Educational: promote the development of speech, thinking, cognitive and general educational skills: planning actions, preparing a workplace, documenting work results; promote mastery of scientific research methods: analysis and synthesis.

Educational: to form a conscientious attitude towards academic work, positive motivation for learning, and communication skills; contribute to the development of humanity, discipline and mutual understanding when working in a group.

Equipment: rulers (wooden), microcalculators, tables, paper, glue.

Lesson progress

Introduction.

Teacher: How to measure a person's reaction time using a ruler?

(Students' statements)

Teacher: To answer this question, we must understand what is human reaction time? What is it equal to?

The encyclopedia says: “Reaction time is the length from the beginning of the signal to the reaction of the human body to this signal. It depends on the age, fitness and well-being of the person. For example, the reaction time to an auditory signal is 0.12 - 0.14 s, and to a visual signal 0.13 - 0.15 s. Reaction time is one of the most important selection criteria for drivers, operators, pilots and astronauts.”

What do you think is your reaction time? Can you be an astronaut, pilot or cameraman?

To answer, you need to measure this time. It turns out that this is not difficult to do with the help of an ordinary... ruler. Don't believe it? But this is true, and we will be able to measure time with an accuracy of one thousandth of a second! Do you have a suggestion on how to do this?

(Student suggestions)

Teacher: Fine. So, to start making this device, let's remember some information from kinematics, since in our work we will be based on them.

Repetition.

Questions about kinematics:

Teacher: Well, now you’ve figured out how to measure a person’s reaction time using a ruler?

(Students' statements)

The physical idea of ​​creating a device.

Allow the vertically falling ruler to fall freely (unclench your fingers).

It will move down uniformly with acceleration g.

If you catch the ruler immediately after the fall begins, then by the area between the fingers (the marks at the beginning and at the end) you can judge how long it took to fall.

This time is equal to the human reaction time.

It remains to connect the path section h and the free fall time t.

Teacher: How to do this?

(Student suggestions)

Write on the board:

h = =t 2 = = t = = 0.447, because g 10 m/s 2

Teacher: Let's round the decimal fraction to thousandths and we have the calculation formula:

t = 0.447 (With)

Calculations using the formula and filling out the table.

Calculations based on options, independently. Discussion and clarification of the results.

Manufacturing of the device.

Graduation of the ruler in accordance with the tabular data.

Measuring reaction time, comparing results.

Homework.

Make a new beautiful ruler with a time scale according to the data in the above table.