Title:
The
Role of Distractions on Response Time
Purpose:
- to determine the
effect of practice on response to a reflex action
- to determine the
effect of distractions on response to a reflex action
Hypothesis:
- State what you
think the effect of practice and distractions will be on response to
a reflex action
Materials:
- metric ruler or
meter stick
Procedure:
- Work in pairs,
facing each other
- One partner faces
the other holding ruler at the end with the highest measurement.
- The other partner
places her thumb and index finger at the end of the lowest measurement,
but does not touch the ruler.
- After singling
readiness, the 1st partner releases the rule and the 2nd tries to catch
the ruler with the thumb and index finger as soon as it is released.
- Record the cm mark
at which the ruler was caught Repeat the procedure 9 times
- Record the data
in a data chart and calculate the average distance
- Repeat with the
1st partner releasing again while varying the environmental conditions
to produce distractions. (ask questions about homework or friends, tell
jokes, sing, etc.)
- Use the same type
of distractions each time and repeat for a total of 10 trials. Record
data and calculate average distance
- Graph distance
(y-axis) vs trial (x-axis) for each data set (multi-line graph)
- Graph average distance
(y-axis) vs condition (x-axis)
Results:
- This is where you
place your data charts and graphs!
- 4 data charts and
2~~4 graphs
Discussion:
- Briefly summarize
what you did
- Describe the patterns
in each graph: Did the lines increase or decrease with trial number?
- Does this indicate
improved performance or no difference in response distance?
- How did the lines
for the "with distractions" conditions compare with the initial (control)
trials? Were they as steep? Did they "move" in the same direction?
- Were the patterns
similar for each partner?
- Was the average
response distance longer or shorter with or without distractions or
was there no obvious difference?
- Were the distracting
conditions you chose really distractions or response enhancers?
- What kind of measurement
errors might you have made?
- Were there distractions
other than the ones you actually used?
- Were your hypotheses
supported or refuted?
Conclusion:
- (A one sentence
testable statement that follows from your results, what you did, what
you observed)
- For this activity
use the following format:
My
hypothesis, that..............................., was supported (refuted).
Practice.........respone time, .and distractions.......response
time.
Reflection:
- (A personal
statement about the activity, whether it relates to "real life," whether
you liked it, suggested improvements.....)
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