Measuring Your Reactions with a Ruler
Procedure:
- Place the "0cm" end of the stick in an upright position slightly above their partners thumb and forefinger
- Drop the meter stick with out giving a verbal cue
- Record the location of your partner's fingers on the meter stick, record in cm
- Repeat steps for 3 trials
- Ask your partner to close their eyes and repeat the steps but say a verbal cue when you drop the meter stick
- Repeat for a total of three trials and record the data
- Reverse roles and repeat the tests
- Take the average of each data set
- Which sense was faster at responding to a stimulus? Why?
- What conditions or variables could affect someone's response time?
- What are other examples of how your sense monitor and respond to changes around you?
- Which system is in control of your rapid response to stimuli?
- You have seen an example of a response to an external stimulus. Give an example of a response to internal stimulus.
- How do these types of responses help you maintain homeostasis?