An Analytical Study on Reaction Times

Abstract

This is an analytical study of the reaction time of the right middle finger in response to the photo-stimulus. The instrument employed was devised at this laboratory for the simultaneous recording of time of stimulation, the action in response to the stimulus and the electromyogram. The results obtained were as follows; 1) The reaction time of the nerve in response to repetitive stimulation varied within a certain limit after the 40th stimulus. Even with one hundred stimulations, prolongation of the reaction time due to fatigue did not become manifest. 2) The reaction time of the muscle in response to repetitive stimulation showed a gradual prolongation as the number of stimulus increased. 3) With the same amount of the load, a correlation coefficient was obtained between the reaction time of the muscle and the maximal muscle strength with r=-0.2743 (P>0.05) in the female. 4) As the amount of the load was increased, the reaction time of the muscle increased. The reaction time of the right middle finger was 80% (relative to the maximal muscle strength). Which increased with the load to 135.90±6.66 msec. in the male and 202.42±10.84 msec. in the female.