Vision and reaction time

Central and peripheral vision, simple and choice reaction time, what lengthens and shortens it.

The outline, topic by topic

Each topic is weighted the way the exam weighs it.

Reaction time: what is it?
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The delay between a signal appearing and the response starting.
It does not include the movement's duration.
Why does a sprinter react faster to the gun than to a light?
- Auditory reaction time is shorter
- Sound travels faster than light
- The visual cortex slows down during effort
- Sound contracts the muscles directly
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Auditory reaction time is shorter
The cochlea transduces sound mechanically, very fast; the retina goes through a slower chemical cascade: about 140 to 160 ms against 180 to 200 ms.
Simple reaction time: what is it?
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Reaction time when one signal calls for one response.
A sprint start.
Why does an expert goalkeeper seem to react faster than their reaction time?
- Their nerves conduct impulses faster
- They anticipate from the shooter's cues
- Their simple reaction time is half as long
- They dive through a spinal reflex
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They anticipate from the shooter's cues
Experts' simple reaction time differs little from novices': reading the shooter's plant foot and trunk starts the response before the kick.