Reaction Time Experiment
Chapter 1: Introduction
Problem Statement
Reaction time plays an important role when it comes to highway safety. Being able to quickly react to changes in traffic patterns and road conditions depends upon the driver being able to quickly identify new information and react appropriately to that information. Drivers primarily rely on vision to guide their driving decisions, but audible warning signals may play an important role in alerting drivers to potential dangers. Understanding ways to maximize reaction time through means other than visual cues may help us improve highway safety and reduce traffic accidents. This research aims to examine how an indicator tone paired with a visual cue will impact reaction time.
Research Question
Does pairing an indicator tone with visual cue decrease reaction time when compared to having only a visual cue?
Hypotheses
Null Hypothesis (H 0)
If it is true that pairing an indicator tone with a visual cue does not reduce reaction time, then when two groups of 10 middle school students are given the same reaction time test, but with one group being given an indicator tone paired with a visual cue and the other group being given only a visual cue, the group that has the indicator tone paired with the visual cue will not have a reaction time significantly different from the group that is given only a visual cue.
Alternative Hypothesis (H 1)
If it is true that pairing an indicator tone with a visual cue reduces reaction time, then when two groups of 10 middle school students are given the same reaction time test, but with one group being given an indicator tone paired with a visual cue and the other group being given only a visual cue, the group that has the indicator tone paired with the visual cue will have a reaction time significantly different from the group that is given only a visual cue.
Reaction time plays an important role when it comes to highway safety. Being able to quickly react to changes in traffic patterns and road conditions depends upon the driver being able to quickly identify new information and react appropriately to that information. Drivers primarily rely on vision to guide their driving decisions, but audible warning signals may play an important role in alerting drivers to potential dangers. Understanding ways to maximize reaction time through means other than visual cues may help us improve highway safety and reduce traffic accidents. This research aims to examine how an indicator tone paired with a visual cue will impact reaction time.
Research Question
Does pairing an indicator tone with visual cue decrease reaction time when compared to having only a visual cue?
Hypotheses
Null Hypothesis (H 0)
If it is true that pairing an indicator tone with a visual cue does not reduce reaction time, then when two groups of 10 middle school students are given the same reaction time test, but with one group being given an indicator tone paired with a visual cue and the other group being given only a visual cue, the group that has the indicator tone paired with the visual cue will not have a reaction time significantly different from the group that is given only a visual cue.
Alternative Hypothesis (H 1)
If it is true that pairing an indicator tone with a visual cue reduces reaction time, then when two groups of 10 middle school students are given the same reaction time test, but with one group being given an indicator tone paired with a visual cue and the other group being given only a visual cue, the group that has the indicator tone paired with the visual cue will have a reaction time significantly different from the group that is given only a visual cue.