B10 - reaction time RP

Question 1

what is the purpose of the reaction time required practical

Answer 1

a simple way of measuring reaction time is to see how quickly a dropped ruler can be caught between finger and thumb

Question 2

how can reaction time also be measured

Answer 2

using a computer programme where the subject pushes a button in response to a stimulus

Question 3

suggest improvements to the reaction time required practical

Answer 3

computer programmes can be much more accurate, as there would be no clues of when to expect the stimulus from the body language of the investigator

Question 4

what is the independent variable in the reaction time required practical

Answer 4

whether subject had caffeine or not

Question 5

what is the dependent variable in the reaction time required practical

Answer 5

the distance the ruler travels

Question 6

what are the control variables in the reaction time required practical

Answer 6

age, sex, mass, hours of sleep

Question 7

what is the method of the reaction time required practical

Answer 7

• subject should drink a decaffeinated drink then wait 5-10 minutes
• subject should sit with their lower arm resting on the edge of the table to stop their arm moving up or down
• the investigator should hold a ruler vertically between subject’s thumb and forefinger, making sure that the zero end is between their thumb and forefinger
• without warning, let go of the ruler
• the subject should try and catch the ruler as soon as possible
• record distance dropped by reading ruler
• repeat 5 times and calculate a mean
• subject should drink a caffeinated drink and wait 5-10 mins before repeating the experiment

Question 8

what are the results of the reaction time required practical

Answer 8

some drugs, e.g. caffeine, are stimulants so you would expect the distance of ruler dropped to be smaller, as reaction times are faster