Reaction Time Flashcards

All 5 cards in this deck

What is the typical range of human reaction times?

About $0.2$ s to $0.9$ s.

What are the steps in the ruler drop test for measuring reaction time?
e.g. the ruler falls $20$ cm before it is caught

1. One person holds a ruler vertically with the zero mark between the other person's open finger and thumb.
2. The ruler is released without warning and caught as quickly as possible.
3. Measure the distance fallen and convert it to a time using a conversion table or equation: $20$ cm $\approx 0.2$ s.

In the ruler drop test, what does a longer drop distance before the ruler is caught tell you?

The person has a longer reaction time.

How can the ruler drop test be made more reliable?

Repeat the test several times and calculate a mean reaction time.

True or false? All people have the same reaction time.

False. Reaction times vary from person to person, typically between $0.2$ s and $0.9$ s.