CITY COLLEGE OF MANILA

SCHOOL OF ARTS AND SCIENCES

DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY
Mehan Gardens

E X P E R I M E N T A L P S Y C H O L O G Y

Experiment No. _ IV_

Title Variation Simple Reaction Time to Sound

Objective To determine the simple reaction time to sound

Introduction Sounds are forms of energy activated when objects

vibrate. The sound waves thus set up by these vibrating
bodies are transmitted through the air and into the eardrum.

Vibrating objects move in one direction pushing the air

in front of it. The crowding motion that moves farther and
farther out from the vibrating object is called a compression
wave. The zone of rarefied air moving away and away from
the vibrating bodies produces the rarefaction wave. One
compression and one rarefaction comprise one sound wave.

Herman Von Helmholtz a German Physicist, during his

period he developed his famous theories of hearing. One of
this is the Traveling Wave Theory – state that when a sound
of a given frequency enters the ear, a wave travels along the
basilar membrane and displaces it at a maximum amount at a
certain point, the point depending on its frequency.

Name: PEÑAFLORIDA, KRISTINE JOY A. B.S PSY ‘07

Date: September 7,2007
Experiment IV_ (con’t)
Apparatus Bell, stopwatch

Procedure The class was grouped into pairs. Each acted as E and S
alternately. E says “ready”, waited from ½ to 2 seconds in
random order, before ringing the bell. S gives the response as
the bell ring. E rings the bell and started the stopwatch at the
same time. When S perceives the bell and responds, E
stopped the watch and recorded the time.

Note: If the S responded to the warning signal and not ht bell,

the reaction time is not taken. If five happened out of ten
trials, the experiment was repeated.

10 trials were performed.

E and S changed roles and repeated the experiment.

Name: PEÑAFLORIDA, KRISTINE JOY A. B.S PSY ‘07

Date: September 7,2007
Experiment _IV_ (con’t)
Results

TRIALS MICROSECONDS

1 .33

2 .60

3 .43

4 .68

5 .53

6 .56

7 .63

8 .63

9 .45

10 .33

Name: PEÑAFLORIDA, KRISTINE JOY A. B.S PSY ‘07

Date: September 7,2007
Experiment _IV_ (con’t)
Discussion As I have observed, from the first up to the last trial we can
see that the time reaction is going slow and fast. From the first trial
the time is .33 and it goes to .66 at the second trial. So as the third
trial and so on…
We can say that the subject’s reaction to time becomes slower.
And the reason why the reaction to time becomes slower is because
of the lack of concentration of the subject to the sound.

The psychological Method used is the Method of Limits.

Reference

A.H Kahayon & G. V Aquino. General Psychology (4th edition)

Name: PEÑAFLORIDA, KRISTINE JOY A. B.S PSY ‘07

Date: September 7,2007