Effect of Simultaneous Application of Visual and
Auditory Cues on Reaction Times
Todd Hamburg and Pamela Stewart
BI core training – Activity 2.1.4 physiology experiment
There has been much research into reaction times based
upon the stimulus applied. It has been mainly broken
down into a visual stimulus vs. an auditory stimulus.
Research has shown that an auditory stimulus yields lower
reaction times when compared to a visual stimulus for the
same subject. These two stimuli are being applied
separately during these studies.
Also, one of the most investigated factors affecting
reaction time is 'arousal' or state of attention, including
muscular tension. Reaction time is fastest with an
intermediate level of arousal, and deteriorates when the
subject is either too relaxed or too tense (Welford, 1980;
Broadbent, 1971; Freeman, 1933). That is, reaction time
responds to arousal as follows:
PURPOSE
The purpose of this experiment was to determine if the
application of the auditory and visual stimulus
simultaneously would yield faster reaction time results
than when the two stimuli were applied separately. This
will be measured during the 3rd and 4th trials of the
experiment. This is due to aforementioned research that
shows the best reaction time measure occurring at
intermediate arousal levels.
METHODOLOGY
RESULTS
Subjects will be randomly selected from among the PLTW
training staff, teachers and assistants. We will use 5
subjects. Each subject will perform each cue test 5 times.
•The cues will be tested in order of auditory, visual, and
then auditory and visual applied simultaneously.
•The ruler will be held by experimenter 1, between the
outstretched index finger and thumb of the subject’s hand,
so that the top of the subject’s thumb is level with the zero
centimeter line on the ruler (ruler drop).
•Experimenter 1 will instruct the subject to catch the ruler
as quickly as possible after receiving the cue (either
auditory, visual or both simultaneously).
•Experimenter 1 will release the ruler in a random
cadence, and the subject will catch the ruler between their
index finger and thumb.
•Experimenter 2 will record the centimeters that dropped
through the subject’s hand by measuring the centimeter
mark at the top of the subject’s index finger.
•This test will be repeated 4 more times, giving a total of 5
trials for each type of cue provided. The average of the 5
trials will be used for each subject, and the average of the
5 subjects will be used for each type of cue provided.
•The constants in this experiment are the meter stick,
experimenter 1 dropping the stick and providing cues, the
background noise, subjects standing and gravity.
Mean Reaction Time of 3rd/4th Trials Based on Cue
Provided
Reaction time will be measured in the number of cm that
fall past the top of the subject’s index finger, and then
converted to seconds via the formula -- t = Sqrt(2d/a)
3
3.1799
2.5
2
1
0.5
0
Auditory Cue Alone
Visual Cue Alone
Visual & Auditory Cue
Combination
REACTION CUE PROVIDED
TRIALS
A
Visual Cue Alone
B
C
D
3
23
15
16
20
25
19.8
4
24
15
20
19
17
19
TRIALS
A
3
100
E
MEAN
Auditory Cue Alone
B
C
D
E
MEAN
42
65
53
21
37
45
60
42
82
2
Auditory & Visual Cue Combination
A
B
C
D
E
46.2
MEAN
3
36
19
12
10
10
17.4
4
24
20
10
14
18
17.2
www.PosterPresentations.com
•Mackenzie, B. (2004) Ruler Drop Test [WWW] Available from:
http://www.brianmac.co.uk/rulerdrop.htm [Accessed
11/http://www.brianmac.co.uk/6/2013]
•Welford, A. T. 1980. Choice reaction time: Basic concepts. In A. T.
Welford (Ed.), Reaction Times. Academic Press, New York, pp. 73-128.
•Freeman, G. L. 1933. The facilitative and inhibitory effects of muscular
tension upon performance. American Journal of Psychology 26: 602608.
•Broadbent, D. E. 1971. Decision and Stress. Academic Press, London.
•J. Shelton and G. Kumar, "Comparison between Auditory and Visual
Simple Reaction Times," Neuroscience & Medicine, Vol. 1 No. 1, 2010,
pp. 30-32. doi: 10.4236/nm.2010.11004.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
60
Age in Years
40
51
52
30
20
20
21
22
10
0
RESEARCH POSTER PRESENTATION DESIGN © 2012
Throughout this experiment, there was an attempt to prove that a
combination of senses is more effective than a single-sense stimuli
alone. When comparing auditory to combination and visual to
combination, our data proved our alternative hypothesis to be true,
and thereby rejecting the null hypothesis.
Study Participant Information
50
Null hypothesis: There will be no significant difference of
the mean reaction times produced during the 3rd and 4th
trials from an auditory and visual cue combined and one
produced when each stimulus is applied separately.
The results of this experiment demonstrate the combination of the
visual and auditory cue applied simultaneously was, in fact,
markedly faster than auditory cues applied separately, and mildly
faster than visual cues applied separately.
There were many errors with this research, which is too be
expected considering the amount of time allowed to research,
design and conduct the experiment. One error is tester error.
When comparing such small amounts of time, the time between the
auditory cue and the release of the stick may have varied by tenths
of seconds. Another tester error will have been the measure of the
stick to the top of the thumb. Once that has been set, the subject
may have moved their hand. Another error may have occurred by
not setting the distance of the thumb and the finger of the subject.
The distance may have varied from test to test. Another tester
error may have occurred from placement of the stick. If the stick
was placed closer to the tip of the thumb or closer to the web of the
thumb may have affected the subject’s ability to catch the stick.
Another tester error was cadence. If the tester gets into a rhythm
of catch and release that is similar, it allows the subject to
anticipate the drop and score better results. Also the straightness of
the stick used could have been an issue.
Another variable that likely skewed our results in comparison is
the age of the subjects. This test was conducted by using random
subjects who were available to devote time to this research.
Subject ages were not uniform, and there can be a marked variance
in reaction times based on age alone.
REFERENCES
TRIALS
Alternative hypothesis: There will be a faster mean
reaction time during the 3rd and 4th trials from an auditory
and visual cue provided simultaneously than when they
are provided separately.
1.878
1.9888
1.5
4
HYPOTHESIS
CONCLUSIONS
3.5
MEAN REACTION TIME (seconds)
INTRODUCTION
Peggy Hinzman
Terry Wilson
Rachel Connell
Tara Voyles
Taylor Buescher
A
B
C
Subjects
D
E
Students T-test was performed, t-values were obtained and
degrees of freedom used to determine p-Values.
Auditory stimulus vs. Auditory/Visual Combination:
•
pValue > .0005
Visual stimulus vs. Auditory/Visual Combination:
• pValue > .005
Both p-Values indicate very significant results with less than a
5% possibility of results occurring by chance.
We wish to thank:
•All of our participants in this study
•Project Lead The Way, Inc.
•Terry Wilson and the lab assistants
We would also like to thank our Master Teacher – Peggy
Hinzman
“You can dance if you want to….”