Abstract :
To react to stimulus is a fundamental demand of life. In the field of games & sports reaction ability is a determining factor of performance. So, the reaction time occupies an important area of study and research in physical education and sports. A number of studies have been conducted in the psycho-physiological area to analyze the variation in reaction ability of individuals with respect to nature of stimulus and age. Results indicate that reaction time of an individual varies with change of nature of stimulus and increase of age. Present study was planned to analyze this change in reaction time for different age group of females using three different types of stimuli – visual, auditory, and tactile. A total of 800 female subjects of 05 to 70 years of age were selected as subjects. They were divided into 16 equal sized age groups of 50 subjects each. The reaction time was measured by multipurpose digital electronic reaction timer for auditory, visual, and tactile signals as stimuli. Results showed that the mean values of auditory reaction time were the lowest for all the age groups. Results also indicated that with different stimuli the reaction time decreased with increase of age up to 20-25 years and thereafter the reaction time increased gradually with increase of age. The trend of change in reaction time with age for all the three stimuli was similar. The results have been supported by many other research studies. Welford (1980) and Galton (1899) reported from their study that the mean auditory reaction time varied from 140 to 160 ms and visual reaction time varied from 180 to 200ms. Welford (1977), Jevas and Yan (2001), Luchies et al. (2002) and Rose et al. (2002) found the changes in reaction time with respect to age from infancy to late sixty.
Author Name(S) : Dr.K.Rajendran
Keywords: Psycho-physiological, Auditory, Visual, and Tactile.
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