Plug your headphones into the audio jack on the REACH.
Hold the REACH in your dominant hand so that your thumb is on the red button on the side of the device. This is the "event marker" reaction button.
Reaction Time and Sight
Procedure
You will be watching the REACH.
It will flash a BLUE light at random times (between 1 and 4 seconds).
As soon as you see the blue light flash, you will press the event marker button.
When you are ready to begin, choose the VISUAL macro. The recording will start automatically.
Click the event marker for the 10 random trials for the blue light flashes.
After the tenth time, the recording will stop automatically.
Click File ---> Save As, name the file "EyesEars", and save your data to your LabScribe Data folder on your Desktop.
Data Analysis
Click the "two mountain" icon button to double the display until all 10 trials show on the screen.
Move one red cursor line to the mark made when the blue light was shown, and click and drag the 2nd to the start of the first click of the event marker.
Look at T2-T1 (upper right corner) and record that number.
Repeat for the next 9 trials.
Place the data in a table or in the Journal. You can open and close the Journal by clicking on the "Notebook" icon.
This image shows the proper positioning of the cursors to measure reaction time. Reaction time = 415 msec as shown in the highlighted area in the upper right of the graph.
After doing the analysis REPEAT Exercise 1 one more time so you have a total of 20 reactions. Average the 20 reaction times (add them all up and divide by 20).
Reaction Time and Hearing
Procedure
Put your headphones on.
When you are ready to begin, choose the AUDITORY macro. The recording will start automatically.
You will now be listening to your computer for a sound to be played.
The REACH will play the sound at random times (between 1 and 4 seconds)
As soon as you hear the sound, press the event marker button.
Repeat this for the 10 random trials for the sound being played.
After the tenth time, the recording will stop automatically.
Save your data.
Data Analysis
Use the same technique explained in Exercise 1 to measure and record the reaction times when you heard the sound being played.
Place the data in a table or in the Journal. You can open and close the Journal by clicking on the "Notebook" icon.
After doing the analysis REPEAT Exercise 2 one more time so you have a total of 20 reactions. Average the 20 reaction times (add them all up and divide by 20).
Answer the following:
How does your mean reaction time to visual cues compare to your mean reaction time to auditory cues?
What would cause a longer reaction time to one type of cue as compared to another?
Explain in detail why one set of reactions takes longer than the other.