Travis Cherry Kin 321-01 8/28/2011 Lab 1 Reaction Time and Anticipation Introduction: The interval of time between

the presentation of a stimulus and the initiation of a response. Outside influences such as warning signals, fore-period length, pre-cues and multiple choices can change the outcome of the experiment dramatically. In this experiment we are looking to discover what a pattern between reaction time (RT) averages and the different individual factors that change them. Our hypothesis is that as the number of choices to choose from increases so in turn will the RT needed to perform the task. Also we predict that if given pre-cues to a reaction time test the RT will be faster when compared to doing the task without a pre-cue. Methods: The first experiment was to sort a deck of cards unto different piles while being timed. The subject was paired with a partner and timed while they attempted to sort the cards one at a time into 2 piles, red and black. The subject was then timed sorting the cards into 4 piles, four different suites. Lastly, they were timed sorting the cards into 8 piles that consisted of the four different suites that were each also separated into low cards (2-10) and high cards (Jack-Ace). The second experiment consisted of one subject holding their hand over the table with two fingers extended and ready to pinch. The subjects partner would then hold the ruler just above their two fingers with the 0 mark on the bottom side. The partner would then drop the ruler with no warning whatsoever and the subject would attempt to grab the ruler with their fingers. The point at which the ruler was grasped was measured in inches and recorded. After 10 trials at this method the partner would then hold the ruler and say ready, then drop the ruler anywhere from 1-4 seconds afterwards while keeping it at a consistent time each trial. Next the subject said ready and dropped the ruler between 1-4 seconds but changed up the time in between the ready and the drop. Finally the partner held two rulers above two of the subjects outstretched hands and drop only one at any random time and without giving the subject knowledge of which ruler would be dropped. All trials were preformed 10 times by each person and each trial was recorded in inches at the point the ruler was grabbed. Results: The results found in this experiment were as follows. The card sorting experiment showed consistent increases in the amount of time needed to sort the cards into piles as the amount of piles went up. We see a 10 second increase in the amount of time to sort 4 piles compared to 2 piles. A more substantial increase from 57 seconds to 92 seconds was seen from 4 piles to 8 piles. Class Averages: Card Sorting 2 piles = 47 seconds 4 piles = 57 seconds 8 piles = 92 seconds.

Time (in seconds) to Sort a Deck of Cards

1.60
1.50 1.40 1.30 1.20 1.10 1.00 0.90 0.80 0.70 2 piles 4 piles 8 piles

For the ruler drop experiment results varied with the impacting factors. We found that the fastest RT came when the subject was given the pre-cue ready, and the ruler was dropped consistently 1-4 seconds afterwards. The slowest RTs were found when two rulers were held and only one was dropped randomly in an unwarned, inconsistent manner. Class Averages: Ruler drop test Test 1-No indication = 5.57 inches Test 2-- Ready with consistent foreperiod = 4.1 inches Test 3-- Ready with inconsistent foreperiod = 5.18 inches Test 4-2 rulers and no indication = 7.0 inches

Ruler Drop Experiment Class Averages

Distance Ruler Dropped(inches) 8.00 7.00 6.00 5.00 4.00 3.00 2.00 1.00 0.00 Trials "ready" consistent foreperiod "ready" inconsistent foreperiod 2 rulers no indication no indication

Discussion: Our original hypothesis that RT would increase as the number of choices to choose from increased was proven correct. This can be seen in a linear fashion via the line graph for the card sorting experiment data. This increase relates directly to the increase in the number of choices the subject had to choose from during each experiment. According to Hicks Law, as the number of choices increase so does the reaction time need to process the information. Each potential choice is known as a bit of information and with two piles the brain only needs to process 2 bits of information. With 4 piles this doubles into 4 bits and so on with 8 piles. But with 8 piles we see a larger gap in the RT because 8 piles has twice as many bits of information than 4 piles. In the ruler drop experiment the RT differences were seen in accordance to the pre-cues given before the drop. When the subject was given the pre-cue ready, before the ruler was dropped it gave the brain a clue as to when the ruler would be dropped and RT was quicker as a result. When the drop time was consistent after ready, was said the subjects would begin to anticipate the drop and this is why we found the fastest RTs during this trial. During the experiments where no indication was given at all, RTs suffered because the brain could go on nothing but pure reaction to the dropping of the ruler. Thus, taking longer to process the information and prepare a movement to grab it as it fell. When two rulers were introduced the RTs increased even further. Again, a result of Hicks Law, as the number of choices changed from 1 to 2, forcing the brain to have to process even more information that before and slowing it down in its decision making process.