Investigating Reaction Time

Question 1

What is reaction time?

Answer 1

The time it takes to respond to a stimulus

Question 2

What affects reaction time?

Answer 2

Gender, age or drugs

Question 3

Give an example of a drug that increases reaction time.

Answer 3

Caffeine

Question 4

How would you investigate the effect of caffeine on reaction time?

Answer 4

1. person testing should sit with arm resting of edge of table - stopping them moving their arm up of down during the test
2. hold ruler vertically between thumb and forefinger at let go without warning
3. The person being tested should try and catch the ruler as quickly as possible
4. Measure the number that the ruler was caught at
5. repeat several times and calculate an average distance
6. Then the person should have a caffeine drink and repeat after 5 minutes

Question 5

What should you control when investigating the effect of caffeine on reaction time?

Answer 5

• same person each time
• person should always just the same hand
• should drop from the same height
• at start they should have no caffeine