Question

Experiment 8: Reflexes (Part II)

Procedure

Hold a ruler approximately 8.0 cm above the outreached hand of your partner. Instruct him/her to catch the ruler between the thumb and forefinger.

Record the measurement where your partner caught the ruler in Table 2. Repeat this two more times.

Hold the ruler approximately 8.0 cm above the outreached hand of your partner. Tell him/her to close his/ her eyes and try to catch the ruler between the thumb and forefinger after you say the word “release”.

Note: Release the ruler immediately after you say the word “release”.

Record the measurement where your partner caught the ruler in Table 2. Repeat this two more times.

Hold the ruler approximately 8.0 cm above the outreached hand of your partner. Tell him/her to close his/ her eyes and try to catch the ruler between the thumb and forefinger after you pat his/her back. As you release the ruler with one hand, pat your partner’s back with the other.

Record the measurement where your partner caught the ruler in Table 2.

Repeat this two more times, and record your data in Table 2.

Reflex	Trial 1: Distance Caught (cm)	Trial 2: Distance Caught (cm)	Trial 2: Distance Caught (cm)
Visual
Verbal
Tactile

What does your data tell you about visual, verbal, and tactileresponses?

Answer 1

Reflex	Trial 1: Distance Caught (cm)	Trial 2: Distance Caught (cm)	Trial 2: Distance Caught (cm)
Visual	6	8	6
Verbal	5	7	6
Tactile	3	2	4

Reflex is autonomic response to a stimulus.The action is generally performed automatically without consious thought.Reflex arc has five essential components

1)arrival of stimulus at receptor.

2)activation of sensory neuron.

3)production of excitatory postsynaptic potential via information proccessing at an integration area.

4)activation of motar neuron

5)response of peripheral effector.

By using above data we calculate the time of reaction by using formula

t= $\sqrt{}$ 2y/g0

where t=time in sec,g0=the acceleration due to gravity constant(980cm/sec²) and y=the distance we measured in cm.

And after all the calculations and observations conclusion is the tactile responses were just slightly faster than the visual and verbal responses.