Influence of practice on visual reaction time

Original Article
Influence of practice on visual reaction time
Tejas P. Ghuntla, Hemant B. Mehta, Pradnya A. Gokhale, Chinmay J. Shah
Abstract
Background: The present study was aimed to see the effect of practice on visual information processing
speed. Reaction time is one of the important physiological parameters, which gives information how fast and
quickly person responses. Reaction is purposeful voluntary response to different stimuli as visual stimuli.
Visual reaction time (VRT) is the time required to response to visual stimuli. Materials and Methods:
The VRT was measured by the multiple choice apparatus in subjects. Simple reaction time and choice
reaction time measured. Reaction time was measured in two sessions. In the first session, VRT was measured
without practice of task and in the second session VRT was measured after practice of task. The results were
statistically analyzed and were recorded as mean ± standard deviation and Student’s paired t-test was applied
to check the level of significance. Result and Conclusion: In the present study, we found that VRT was
less after practice for both simple and choice VRT tasks. Reaction time decreases by practice. Skills can be
improved by practice. In daily life majority of work is done by the use of visual information. By the practice
of an important task time required for stimulus identification and response can be decreased. Practice is
useful for driving vehicles. It is helpful to students, as they have identification of bones, instruments, graphs
and viva questions in examination of various medical subjects. Hence by practice students can identify,
understand and answer quickly.
Keywords: Choice, practice, reaction time, simple, visual
Introduction
Human body responses to the number of external
environmental stimuli of different modalities. Human
body gives a desired and purposeful voluntary
response to stimulus. There is a certain time period
between application of stimulus and appropriate
motor response. There are various sensory modalities
and human body responses to various stimuli with
different speed. This plays an important role in
everyday life.
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Reaction time is defined as interval of time between
presentation of stimulus and appearance of appropriate
voluntary response in a subject.[1] Visual reaction time
(VRT) is a time required to respond to visual stimuli.
Reaction time becomes an important component of
information processing as it indexes speed of stimulus
processing and response programming.[2] Reaction
time is one of the important physiological parameter
which gives information how fast and quickly person
responses.
Reaction time is having mainly two components.[3]
1. Mental processing time: Which is the time required
for responder to perceive stimulus, identifying and
analyzing of stimulus and decide the proper motor
response.
2.Movement time: It is the time required to perform
the movement after selection of response.
Department of Physiology, Government Medical College, Bhavnagar, Gujarat, India
Address for correspondence:
Dr. Tejas P. Ghuntla, “Maa Sharda”, Plot No. 13, Sumeru Bunglows, Opp. Top-3 Cinema, Talaja Road, Bhavnagar - 364 002,
Gujarat, India. E-mail: [email protected]
September 2014 | Vol 19 | Issue 2 Journal of Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences
Tejas, et al.: Influence of practice on VRT
120
Luce[4] and Welford[5] described three types of reaction
time.[6]
1. Simple reaction time: Here there is one stimulus and
one response.
2.Recognition reaction time: Here there are some
stimulus that should be responded to and other that
should not get a response.
3.Choice reaction time: Here, there are multiple
stimulus and multiple responses.
By the practice of motor movements, muscular
coordination and speed of movement can be improved
which would improve movement time. Long lasting
improvement in performing skilled motor movements
can be achieved by training and retraining and repeated
practicing.[7-9] The present study is carried out to see
the effect of practice on visual information processing
speed which is analyzed by measuring VRT. We
compare VRT before practice and after practice for
simple and choice reaction time task.
Materials and Methods
The study was conducted among 50 male healthy
subjects of Bhavnagar region. Subjects of 17-20 years
included in the study. Personal history and medical
history of all subjects was collected in pre-designed
performa. Medical history was taken to rule out
any medical or surgical disease which would affect
reaction time of individual. After taking consent,
reaction time was measured with multiple choice
apparatus 653MP (reaction time apparatus), an Inco
Company Product (Ambala), with accuracy of ±
0.001 s. VRT was measured under two categories:
1. Simple reaction time, where subject has to respond
to visual stimuli by pressing key and
2.Choice reaction time, the subject had to respond
to different coloured visual stimulus by pressing
respective key.
Study was conducted in two sessions. In the first session,
visual stimuli were given for 3 times and minimum
reaction time was taken as a final reaction time for that
sensory modality of that subject. In the second session,
subjects were given practice session in which the subject
responded to visual stimuli until near about constant
values of reaction time come and then visual stimuli
were given for 3 times and minimum reaction time was
taken as a final reaction time for that sensory modality
of that subject. In both sessions, simple reaction time
and choice reaction time was measured.
Journal of Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences
Data was collected and was statistically analyzed. Reaction
time was taken as mean ± standard deviation. The level
of significance between before practice VRT and after
practice VRT was tested by Students t-test (Paired). The
observation was taken as a significant of P < 0.05.
Result
VRT was measured in seconds for both simple and
choice VRT task.
VRT found to be significantly (P < 0.05) less in after the
practice session when compared with before practice
session for simple reaction time task [Table 1].
VRT found to be significantly (P < 0.05 ) less in
after the practice session when compared with before
practice session for choice reaction time task [Table 2].
Discussion
In the present study, we found that VRT was less after
practice for both simple and choice VRT tasks which
means that reaction time decreases after practice. This
is in parallel with previous studies concluding that a
practice decreases reaction time.[10,11]
Several possible mechanisms have been described
for this. People can acquire new motor skills and
improve them with practice.[12] Learning of motor
skill practice influenced on information processing.[10]
With repetition of motion, person’s conscious effort
is decreased and the motion becomes more and more
automatic.[13] Motor circuits of basal ganglia play a key
role in the automatic execution of motor tasks.[14]
It was concluded in other study that mental practice
influences the learning of cognitive activities.[15] Hence
Table 1: Difference in simple visual reaction time
in before the practice session and after the practice
session
Simple VRT (before
practice)
0.16190±0.02624
Simple VRT (after practice)
P value
0.14190±0.02624
<0.0001
VRT = Visual reaction time
Table 2: Difference in choice visual reaction time
in before the practice session and after the practice
session
Choice VRT (before
practice)
0.30368±0.07461
Choice VRT (after practice)
P value
0.26958±0.06699
0.0003
VRT = Visual reaction time
September 2014 | Vol 19 | Issue 2
Tejas, et al.: Influence of practice on VRT
practice is useful in the skills having cognitive factors.
Since information processing is also a mental process
that affects response time, it is also influenced by
practice.[16] Practice is an activity related to the nervous
system and it can have a direct influence on memory
and so it results in progress in performance.[17]
Mental practice can effectively cause motor
improvement and performance.[18] In another study,
it was found that reaction time to a visual stimulus
decreased with 3 weeks of practice.[12] It was observed
in other study that training older people to resist falls by
stepping out to stabilize themselves did improve their
reaction time.[19] The study of the response time for
the pre-test and post-test in the mental practice group
revealed that mental practice has a positive impact on
response time so that it improves the response time of
the subjects.[16]
It was found in the other study that in karate, more
experienced practitioners had shorter reaction times.[20]
One study concluded that training on a complex task
both shortened reaction time and improved accuracy.[21]
Mental imagery and practice is an activity related to
the nervous system and it can have a direct influence on
memory and so it results in progress in performance.[22]
Conclusion
In daily life majority of work is done by use of
visual information. VRT decreases with training and
practice. This information can be useful in day-to-day
regular life. By the practice of an important task time
required for stimulus identification and response can
be decreased. Person should have adequate practice of
vehicle driving before he travels in traffic. It is helpful
to students, as they have identification of bones,
instruments, graphs and viva questions in examination
of various medical subjects. So by practice students
can identify, understand and answer quickly. This
information is useful in physically reactive sports such
as basketball, car racing. Apart from physical fitness,
in sports, players must be quick reactive in different
stages of the game. This reaction time can be improved
by practice. Coach can improve reaction time of
players by practice and improve their performance.
Information from the study also useful in reactive jobs
like army personals and fighter airplanes pilots. Here
also by practice not only accuracy but fast reactivity
improves which is utmost required for the army and air
force personnel when they are in the face to face with
the enemy.
September 2014 | Vol 19 | Issue 2 121
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