GOAL: Test reaction times with different tests to explore the sensory afferent, motor efferent pathway of the autonomic nervous system.
INTRODUCTION:
The fast and automatic response to a stimulus is known as a reflex. All reflexes are involuntary and many prevent injury to the body. Reflexes control automatic activities in the body such as heartbeat, sneezing,
gagging, and peristalsis. In a reflex arc, an impulse follows a
definite pathway – we talked about
this in class. Reaction time is a measure of how quickly a person can perceive a
stimulus and react to it. Reaction time
is important in athletics as well as in the operation of vehicles and other
machinery. Reaction time may be affected
by fatigue, drugs, and distraction. In
this lab we will demonstrate some reflex behaviors and measure reaction time.