Average human reaction time in seconds. Study of genetic markers in the implementation of human reaction speed to visual stimuli. How to improve your reaction speed

In one of the physics lessons, while studying material about uniformly accelerated motion of bodies, the teacher asked: “Do you want to know how you can measure your reaction time to any signal? If yes, then knowledge of physics on the topic: “Free fall of bodies” can help with this.”

The method for measuring human reaction time surprised and interested me. Firstly, simplicity, this is not difficult to do with an ordinary ruler. Secondly, the importance of knowing about it. For example, reaction time is one of the important criteria for selecting drivers, operators, pilots, astronauts and people of other professions. Anyone at home, at work, or on the street can encounter danger at any moment, then his health will directly depend on his speed of reaction.

I think that after such information, many teenagers who are on the path to choosing a profession (like me) have questions: “What is my reaction time? What does it depend on? Is it possible to train yourself to improve an unsatisfactory result? Will I be able to be a driver, pilot or operator at a nuclear power plant?

The purpose of my work is to conduct research and diagnose reaction time in adolescents and adults.

I set myself the following tasks:

Study the literature on human reaction time;

Make a physical device for measuring human reaction time;

Conduct experiments and analyze their results;

Suggest ways to improve unsatisfactory results.

To create a physical device for studying reaction speed, I used theoretical material from a 9th grade physics textbook. And interesting information I learned about the speed of human reaction from the Internet.

1. About human reaction time. Physics of free falling bodies

1. 1 What is human reaction speed

Reaction speed is one of the main qualities of a living organism. It is very important to quickly respond to external irritants, because some of them can be dangerous or even fatal.

Reaction time is one of the most important qualities that determine the result of a competition. If in the ring or in the hall your victory depends on it, then on the street life and health are often at stake. It is very important to react correctly and quickly to enemy actions, because among them there are often actions that cripple a living organism or are associated with a threat to life.

A person's reaction time is determined by the functioning of the nervous system. Information rushes through the brain and body along the nerves, like tiny sparks of electricity along wires. The brain receives signals from the eyes, ears and other sense organs. And the brain decides what to do. Then it sends motor signals to the muscles.

Let we're talking about about a person’s reaction to a brick flying at him, the eye transmits a signal about rapid movement not only to the parts of the brain where they are processed (and we understand: “a brick is flying”), but also along special nerve pathways - to the muscles, which ensures a quick reaction avoidance, such as jumping away.

Consequently, the reaction time is the length from the beginning of the signal to the reaction of the human body to this signal. In humans, the average reaction time to a visual signal is: 0.1-0.3 seconds.

When a person reacts to a very strong irritation that is life-threatening, for example, when he withdraws his hand from a hot stove, a simple reflex is carried out in which the brain is not involved. From the receptor, the signal travels along the nerve fiber to the spinal cord and then directly to the muscle, passing through only three nerve cells - the sensory neuron, the interneuron in spinal cord and motor neuron. Velocity of nerve impulse along processes nerve cells here - several tens of meters per second.

It should be noted that we first withdraw our hand and then feel pain. This is due to the fact that the signal from pain receptors to the brain travels along another type of nerve fibers at a lower speed of 0.5-2 m/s.

1. 2. Can reaction time be improved?

From the onset of the stimulus to the moment of reaction, a certain time always passes, after which the muscular mechanisms of response are activated, the speed of which already depends on the speed of body movements.

Motor reactions must be carried out at the level conditioned reflexes, and for this it is necessary serious training.

It is known that the subconscious reaction associated with the right hemisphere of the brain is much faster than the conscious reaction associated with the left hemisphere. It is logical to assume that it is in the subconscious that responses to a certain stimulus should be laid down. And this is achieved through repeated repetition of movements during training. In total, you need to score about 5-10 thousand repetitions, and it makes no sense to do more than 300 repetitions at a time. The 300 figure is quite large; in general, no more than 200 movements per workout are obtained, then it turns out that the subconscious assimilation of a motor pattern ideally requires about two months.

For example, professor Jocelyn Faubert and doctoral student David Tinjust decided to teach athletes - football, hockey and tennis players - to concentrate their attention on several objects at once. As a result, it turned out that athletes are able to simultaneously “absorb” more information and, accordingly, use it more productively - progress averages 53%.

If we are talking about the reaction when playing tennis, then a gradual improvement in the reaction is associated with the formation of stereotypical reflexes that allow you to react without the participation of the cerebral cortex (without thinking), and, most importantly, such reactions are carried out without feedback, that is, there is no constant adjustment of movement. And when we are just learning to make a new movement, a complex interaction takes place: a signal about the action is sent to the muscle, a signal about the result of the action is sent back from it, and adjustments take place, i.e. the muscle moves under constant control, which takes a lot of time. All these processes involve different areas of the cerebellum and some other brain structures.

You need to learn to respond to stimuli that precede a dangerous action. For example, you should react not to the blow itself, but to the preparation for it - after all, before hitting, the enemy will definitely look at the target, change his position, tense his muscles, and inhale. There is more than enough time. You just need to develop a conditioned reflex, plant a new stimulus and response to it in the subconscious.

1. 3. Free fall of bodies

Free fall is the movement of a body under the influence of gravity. Since the force of gravity acting on each body near the surface of the earth is constant, a freely falling body must move with constant acceleration, i.e., uniformly accelerated (this follows from Newton’s second law).

The peculiarity of free fall is that all bodies in a given place on the earth fall with the same acceleration. This acceleration is called the acceleration of gravity. It is usually denoted by the letter g (the first letter of the Latin word gravitas, which means “heaviness.”

Exist different ways, making it possible to determine the value of g with great accuracy (for example, up to 0.00001 m/s2). But when solving problems in a school physics course, where it is not required high precision result, a value of 9.8 m/s2 or even 10 m/s2 is usually used.

Since in our example the motion of a freely falling body is uniformly accelerated motion without initial speed, then the displacements are calculated using the formula: s = g t2 / 2 or h = g t2 / 2 (i.e. s = h).

2. Study of human reaction time.

2. 1. Creation measuring instrument

The idea of ​​​​making a measuring device is simple: if you allow a vertical ruler to fall freely (for example, by releasing the fingers holding it by the upper end), then it will move down uniformly accelerated with acceleration g (gravitational acceleration).

If you immediately catch the ruler, then by the area h between the fingers - the marks where we held it and where we caught it - we can judge how long it took t for it to fall. This time will be equal to the human reaction time.

From the formula for the distance traveled by a body during free fall, we express the time of fall: h = g t2 / 2, t2 = 2h / g, (1)

Using the reference book, we find the value of the acceleration of free fall with an accuracy of one hundredth: g = 9.81 m/s2 or g = 981 cm/s2. We substitute formula (1) for this value and obtain the expression: (2)

Using the mathematical rules for rounding decimals, we round the numerical coefficient to the nearest hundred thousandth.

We get: (3)

In formula (3) instead of h we will substitute the values ​​1 cm, 2 cm, 3 cm, 50 cm. The results of time calculations are rounded to three significant figures and enter them into the table.

In accordance with the tabular data, we calibrate the ruler, marking the time next to the centimeter divisions. We get a device for measuring human reaction time. The measurement accuracy will be up to one thousandth.

This device can be used to determine biological age. So in the magazine “SamaYa” there is a test of four small tests to determine the approximate biological age. .

The measurement results are entered into the table. The subjects (students in grades 9-11) entered into a table information about their attendance at sports sections, as well as their interest in their future profession.

In humans, the average reaction time to a visual signal is: 0.1-0.3 seconds. The measurements showed that all the examined adolescents had a satisfactory reaction time.

To identify the dependence of reaction time results on human fatigue, experiments were carried out after the first lesson (this time is considered to indicate that the student’s body has already woken up and therefore any monitoring at school is carried out in the second lesson), and then at the end school day(after the sixth lesson).

Research has shown that the majority of students have increased reaction time, i.e., their actions are inhibited. Appendix 10.

The opinion is fully confirmed that teenagers involved in sports, attending sports clubs in volleyball and basketball, have a better reaction time than children who are not interested in sports games.

Measurements have been taken with people different professions(teachers and other school staff) to ensure that professional skills influence a person's reaction time. They were asked two questions: “Do you exercise regularly? Do you drive a car?

The result of the research is this: men and women who play sports and have constant experience driving a car have better reaction times. People who do not play sports and do not have driving skills have a worse reaction time.

Of the 34 adolescents examined, 7 plan to choose professions associated with risk. . They were given recommendations to improve reaction speed.

I repeat once again that motor reactions must be carried out at the level of conditioned reflexes, and this requires serious training. Therefore the most main advice, resulting and analysis of research: to live is to be friends with sports.

Sports relay races, where the signal enters the brain through touch, are very effective in developing reaction speed. That is, you need to take action as quickly as possible after the previous player touches you.

Participants in the experiment were offered two games that developed speed of reactions to a stimulus.

Game No. 1: “They fly - they don’t fly.” In this game, the signal enters the brain through the hearing organ - the ears.

The leader says to the players and at the same time waves his hands: “geese are flying.” Players, upon hearing the name of the bird, shout “yes” and wave their hands. The presenter waves his hands again and shouts: “frogs fly.” Players must answer “no” and not wave their hands. Whoever makes a mistake gets a forfeit. The presenter can name birds several times in a row, or, conversely, other flightless animals.

Game No. 2: “Clappers”, the signal enters the brain through the organs of vision - the eyes. The first partner stands and positions his open palm so that it is convenient for the second to hit it. For example, he stands sideways to the second person, holding his open palm in front of him. The second partner hits the palm of the first at random times. The task of the first is to remove the palm, the task of the second is to hit. You can keep score. Then the partners change.

The principle inherent in this game can be transferred to other technical actions, for example, cutting and avoiding kicks at the lower level.

Conclusion

Having become acquainted with information from the Internet and from book sources, I became more aware of the fact that the speed of a person’s reaction is determined by the work of the nervous system.

Information rushes through the brain and body along the nerves, like tiny sparks of electricity along wires. The brain receives signals from the eyes, ears and other sense organs. And the brain decides what to do. Then it sends motor signals to the muscles. In humans, the average reaction time to a visual signal is 0.1-0.3 seconds.

Using the physical theory of the free fall of bodies, he created the simplest device for measuring a person’s reaction time from an ordinary student ruler. (Note: I used a 50cm ruler).

Analysis of the measurements taken led to the following conclusions:

✓ the teenager’s reaction time depends on his training (i.e., whether he often engages in sports exercises);

✓ reaction time depends on fatigue (i.e., in the evening, inhibition of actions appears);

✓ people working in transport and playing sports have good result speed of reaction to a stimulus.

In my work, I have selected tips and games aimed at improving a person’s reaction time, which can be used by teenagers who have a penchant for a profession where reaction time is one of the important selection criteria, as well as by organizers of children’s leisure time.

I see the practical value of my work in the fact that every teenager, having learned his reaction time, realizes the need to improve the result, will work on himself and, perhaps, this will influence his choice of profession.

At home, at school, and on the street - at any moment a teenager will be able to protect himself from life-threatening exposure.

In the future, I plan to study the dependence of reaction time to a stimulus on a person’s temperament.

STUDY OF GENETIC MARKERS IN THE REALIZATION OF THE SPEED OF HUMAN RESPONSE TO VISUAL STIRITUTES

Smirnova Anastasia

class 10 "M", MAOU OC Gornostay, RF, Novosibirsk

Voronina Elena Nikolaevna

scientific supervisor, Ph.D. biol. Sciences, Junior Researcher LF IHBFM SORAN, RF, Novosibirsk

Ilyina Maria Vladimirovna

scientific supervisor, biology teacher, MAOU OC Gornostay, Russian Federation, Novosibirsk

The article is devoted to the study of human reaction speed and the genes that influence it. A study was conducted on the presence of the MSTN and ACTN3 genes, and their effect on the speed of human reaction when using visual stimuli was studied. Based on the study undertaken, it was concluded that the reaction rate does not depend on the genotypes of the MSTN and ACTN3 genes.

1. Introduction

Reaction speed is one of the main qualities of any living organism. At the same time, it is very important that the response to external irritating factors is immediate, since among them there can be not just dangerous, but even fatal ones. In humans, the average reaction time to a visual signal is 0.1-0.3 seconds.

The speed of a person’s reaction is determined by the functioning of the nervous system. When a person reacts to a very strong irritation that is life-threatening, for example, when he withdraws his hand from a hot stove, a simple reflex is carried out in which the brain is not involved. From the receptor, the signal travels along the nerve fiber to the spinal cord and then directly to the muscle, passing through only three nerve cells - a sensory neuron, an interneuron in the spinal cord and a motor neuron. The speed of the nerve impulse along the processes of nerve cells here is several tens of meters/sec. The determining factor is the time of synaptic transmission - about 0.1 sec. It should be noted that we first withdraw our hand and then feel pain. This is due to the fact that the signal from pain receptors to the brain travels along a different type of nerve fibers (there are three types in total nerve fibers, differing in the mechanism of impulse transmission) with a lower speed of 0.5-2 meters/sec.

If we are talking about a person’s reaction to a brick flying at him, then there is also a reflex reaction: the eye transmits a signal about rapid movement not only to the parts of the brain where they are processed (and we understand: “a brick is flying”), but also through special nerves pathways - to the muscles, which provides a quick avoidance reaction, for example, jumping away.

Speed ​​reaction.

Thus, the implementation of the visual signal for muscle movement occurs through the following stages:

1. the occurrence of excitation in the receptor (visual, auditory, tactile, etc.) involved in the perception of the signal;

2. transmission of excitation to the central nervous system;

3. transfer of signal information along nerve pathways, its analysis and formation of a response signal;

4. conducting a response signal from the central nervous system to the muscle;

5. muscle excitation.

What affects the speed of the reaction?

The speed and speed of movements depends on:

1. the state of the central nervous system and the human neuromuscular system;

2. characteristics of muscle tissue (from the ratio of fast and slow fibers);

3. muscle strength;

4. the ability of muscles to quickly move from a tense state to a relaxed one;

5. energy reserves in the muscle (adenosine triphosphoric acid - ATP and creatine phosphate - CTP);

6. degree of mobility in joints;

7. coordination of movements during high-speed work;

8. age and gender;

9. the speed at which the brain receives a signal from the receptor and transmits it to the muscles

Genetic studies (twin method, comparison of speed capabilities of parents and children, long-term observations of changes in speed indicators in the same children) indicate that motor abilities significantly depend on genotype factors. According to scientific research, the speed of a simple reaction is approximately 60-88% determined by heredity.

Target:

Search for genetic markers of human reaction speed to visual stimuli

Tasks:

Mastering testing methods and genetic research techniques

Reaction speed testing.

Collection of samples for DNA extraction.

DNA extraction

Determination of polymorphic gene variants.

2. Progress

2.1 Testing reaction speed.

We tested 56 people on the website http://www.humanbenchmark.com/tests/reactiontime to determine the speed of their reaction to visual stimuli. The essence of the program is that a person must press the mouse button at the moment the screen color changes. For each person tested, 5 measurements were taken and the average reaction time was recorded. All measurements were carried out in the morning (everyone was under equal conditions). As a result, 16 people from 8th grade, 17 people from 9th grade, and 23 people from 10th grade were examined.

The largest number of people had a reaction speed around 265 ms (Fig. 1).

Figure 1. Reaction speed of the examined participants. Blue dots the values ​​expected at normal distribution(R<0,001)

In 8th grade, the average reaction speed is 338 ms, in 9th grade - 276 ms, in 10th grade - 232 ms.

Figure 2. Dependence of reaction speed on training class

From Figure 2 we see that as the class increases, the reaction speed increases (less time is spent on the response, the person reacts faster). When statistically processing the results, it was found that the probability that the results are random is less than 0.1% (p<0,001). Следовательно, выявленная нами зависимость увеличения скорости реакции тестируемых людей с возрастанием класса не случайно, а закономерно.

Figure 3. Statistical assessment of the dependence of reaction speed on training class

2.2 Collection of samples for DNA extraction.

All students who completed the reaction speed test had their buccal epithelium collected using cotton swabs. They were then placed in 1.5 ml tubes containing 250 µl of Lysis Solution A1 and vortexed. The tubes were heated for 5 minutes at a temperature of 65 °C and mixed again using a vortex until the material was completely dissolved. Then the rods were removed, and 20 μl of sorbent resuspended by vortex was added. The contents of the tube were mixed by vortex and left in the rack for 2 minutes to sediment the sorbent. The suspension was mixed again and stood for 7-9 minutes. Next, the sorbent was precipitated in a microcentrifuge for 30 s, the supernatant was collected, 400 μl of washing solution a2 was added to each tube, and mixed by vortex until the sorbent was completely resuspended. Then it was precipitated on a Microspin for 30 s and the supernatant was collected. The washing procedure with solution a2 was repeated again, and the supernatant was carefully selected. In a similar way, the sediment was washed with 70% ethyl alcohol once, the supernatant was carefully selected, and the sorbent sediment was dried with the lids of the test tubes open in a thermostat at 56 °C. Next, 100 μl of elution buffer a3 was added, the sorbent was carefully resuspended, and placed in a thermostat at 56˚C for 10 minutes. The suspension was sedimented in a microcentrifuge at 13,000 rpm for 2 minutes. The supernatant contains purified DNA, the sample is ready for PCR.

2.3 Determination of polymorphic gene variants.

DNA samples of 5 μl were placed in 0.2 ml tubes. A mixture of primers was added to the DNA to determine nucleotide substitutions in the ACTN and MSTN genes. Next, Taq-DNA polymerase, nucleotides, and polymerase buffer were added to the tubes, and the mixture was placed in a cycler for PCR. The principle of determining a nucleotide substitution consists of repeated copying of a DNA section containing a nucleotide substitution and the interaction of this section with labeled probes. One of the probes is complementary to a nucleotide sequence with a “normal” letter, and the other is complementary to a “mutant” one. As a result, on the graph we see the glow of one of the probes if a person has only one letter (homozygote) or both probes in the case of a heterozygote (Fig. 4).

Figure 4. Graph of fluorescence accumulation by genotype G / A gene MSTN

Thus, we typed all collected DNA samples (Fig. 5).

Figure 5. Fluorescence accumulation graphs for all studied samples (a. ACTN , b. MSTN )

Unfortunately, not all samples could be typed. The genotyping results are shown in Table 1.

Table 1.

Research results for collected samples

The MSTN gene encodes the protein myostatin (also known as growth and differentiation factor 8), a protein that inhibits the growth and differentiation of muscle tissue. Animal studies show that blocking the action of myostatin results in a significant increase in lean muscle mass with virtually no fat tissue. The studied nucleotide substitution G->A leads to the premature appearance of a stop codon at position 313 of the protein and thus reduces the amount of myostatin, which leads to an increase in muscle mass and improves speed performance.

The ACTN3 gene is characteristic of type 2 (fast twitch) muscle fibers of skeletal muscles. The ACTN3 gene contains a polymorphism, R577X, which results in the replacement of arginine (C allele) at position 577 with a stop codon (T allele). The presence of this mutation results in muscles that do not contain the a-actinin-3 protein. However, muscle pathology is not observed in such people, since a-actinin-2 compensates for its absence in the Z-discs of muscle fibers. At the same time, the presence of the 577R allele, indicating the presence of the a-actinin-3 protein in skeletal muscles, gives individuals an advantage in the manifestation of speed-strength physical qualities.

In our study, no statistically significant dependence of the reaction rate on genotypes was revealed (Fig. 6) - for the ACTN gene, the level of agreement between the results in different groups was 97%, for MSTN - 80%.

Figure 6. Dependence of the reaction rate on genotypes (a. ACTN , b. MSTN )

This may be due to the fact that some of the samples were not genotyped. It is also possible that the implementation of the speed of a person's reaction to visual stimuli depends on other genes.

3. Results

· DNA samples were collected.

· The reaction speed of the test subjects was determined.

· We have shown that reaction speed increases (less time is spent responding) with increasing class.

· The genotypes of the ACTN and MSTN genes were determined for some of the tested subjects.

· No statistically significant dependence of the reaction rate on genotypes was found.

4. Conclusion

We studied genetic markers of the speed of human reaction to visual stimuli. It was found that the reaction speed increases (reaction time decreases) with increasing class and does not depend on the genotypes of the ACTN and MSTN genes.

Future plans

Complete the determination of genotypes for all samples for the ACTN and MSTN genes. Conduct research on other genetic markers (affecting the speed of nerve signal transmission).

Bibliography:

1.Sapin M.R., Nikityuk D.B. Human anatomy. In 3 volumes. M. 1998. T. 3.

2. Human physiology / Ed. R. Schmidt and G. Tevs. M.: Mir, 1996, vol. 1.

Sometimes life depends on the speed of reaction, but even without extreme conditions, the ability to quickly respond to external events will be useful. Activate your reactions and your movements will become coordinated and precise.

Responsiveness is the brain's ability to quickly respond to external stimuli. Reaction speed is the time that passes from the moment of action of an external stimulus to the body’s reaction to it.

First, our senses perceive a stimulus and react to it: nerve impulses are transmitted from receptors (nerve endings) to the cerebral cortex. Here signal recognition, processing, classification and evaluation take place. Then the zone that controls body movements is connected, and the muscles are included in the work. Each such stage takes time.

All people have different reaction speeds. There are also extremes when the behavior of some resembles slow motion, while the reaction of others is lightning fast. For example, the Japanese secretary Miit puts 100 stamps in one minute. The fastest shooter in the world, J. Miculek, fires 5 shots from a revolver in half a second. Japanese Makisumi solves a Rubik's cube in 12.5 seconds.

It is curious that the fastest muscle reaction is in cold-blooded animals. For example, a palm salamander, having noticed a prey, throws out its tongue at a speed of 15 m per second. Mongooses have a quick reaction - thanks to it they have earned the reputation of the best snake hunters. Our beloved cats also have lightning-fast reactions.

For a person, a quick reaction, it would seem, has lost its former vital importance: he no longer needs to quickly dodge the paws of wild animals so as not to be eaten, or, conversely, hunt for them so as not to be left without lunch.

However, it would be a mistake to think that a quick reaction is of no use to us. It is necessary for athletes - football players, hockey players, tennis players, boxers, judokas, etc. And not only in order to set records, but also to avoid injuries. Quick reactions are required by representatives of many professions - pilots, drivers, captains, machinists, surgeons, etc. People with quick reactions are also preferred by many employers, for example in areas where it is necessary to quickly respond to market changes.

In fact, everyone needs a quick reaction in order to protect themselves as much as possible on the street and at home: to behave correctly in a critical situation that poses a threat to health or life.

Reaction speed is measured in ms - milliseconds. 1 second is 1,000 ms. The smaller this value is, the higher the reaction rate will be. For most people it is 230–270 ms. Indicators of 270 ms and above indicate a slow reaction. Fighter pilots and sports stars show results of 150 – 170 ms.

The fastest response occurs in people between approximately 18 and 40 years of age. Its speed increases in the middle of the day - during the period of highest performance. In a tired person it decreases. This may not be noticeable if the work does not require quick reactions, but when performing complex actions, the possibility of making a mistake increases.

The reaction also slows down under the influence of alcohol and drugs. In addition, a person’s mental state matters: negative emotions depress nervous activity, which adversely affects his reactions, while positive emotions significantly accelerate them.

The type of stimulus also affects the speed of reaction: people react fastest to tactile and sound stimuli, somewhat slower to visual ones.

How to become faster

There are several ways to learn to respond faster:

1. Keep your brain busy

In older people, the processing of information entering the brain from the senses slows down. This happens for various reasons, including because most of them stop studying, do not strive to learn new things and do not want to leave their usual comfort zone. Idleness, watching meaningless programs that do not force the brain to strain, trigger the process of personality degradation, which also affects the speed of reaction.

To prevent the brain from atrophying over time, you need to constantly load it with work, set new tasks for it, and then you won’t have to complain about a slow reaction.

2. Eliminate bad habits

A person who has, as they say, “overindulged” has the false impression that under the influence of drinking he becomes more relaxed, free and is able to concentrate and control his behavior. But practice shows the opposite: due to the lack of quick reaction, drunk people very often become victims of crimes and participants in accidents.

3. Get enough sleep

It is impossible to constantly be in a state of maximum focus and concentration. A failure will certainly occur when we are unable to respond to danger in time. Therefore, periods of concentration should alternate with periods of relaxation. And proper sleep is a great opportunity to give the nervous system a “reboot” and replenish its energy reserves. In addition, with a lack of sleep, visual acuity decreases, which also negatively affects the speed of reactions.

4. Controlling emotions

First of all, you need to learn not to give in to fear. On the one hand, fear signals danger. On the other hand, it does not mobilize a person, but inhibits the process of information processing in the brain. Many people are familiar with the feeling when, in moments of danger, a person feels as if paralyzed and unable to move. His reactions are slow and he is unable to give an adequate response. It is possible to react correctly and quickly to a stimulus only in a state of absence of fear.

Thanks to special training that carries a semantic load, that is, simulating danger in real life, you can get rid of some fears and acquire quick response skills that will be useful in a difficult situation.

For example, the sound of a click made by a partner can imitate a gunshot and serve as a signal to quickly jump to the side, duck down, or fall to the ground. The effect should be sudden - we should not control the stimulus, that is, the actions of our partner.

A pre-developed “plan” will help you get rid of fear, in particular falling on ice. For example, when falling on our back, we must quickly press our chin to our chest so as not to injure our head. In this case, we can replay our actions mentally. This will speed up our reaction, so that if we do fall, we will avoid injury.

5. Let's play

Games of football, volleyball, table tennis and tennis are great for developing quick reactions, so you should choose the one you like and start playing. You can practice juggling.

It is interesting that computer games also improve reaction speed, as scientists from one of the American universities have proven. During the experiment, players showed high results in quick decision-making not only in the game itself, but also in tests to determine reaction speed.

6. Let's train

Exercises will be advisable only if you do them daily, and not from time to time.

Our subconscious, intuitive reactions (the right hemisphere of the brain is responsible for them) are faster than the conscious, analytical ones, which are controlled by the left hemisphere. The huge role of the latter is undoubted, but at critical moments the subconscious is the first to react. And since it is the one that responds to the stimulus first, you can train your reaction speed by repeating the same movements many times – up to 200 at a time.

When starting training, it is worth deciding what exactly we will increase the reaction speed to: hearing, touch or visual stimulus. At first it is better to separate them, and only then train them all together.

We train the speed of auditory reaction. For example, two people are sitting at a table where some object lies. The third one walks around them and suddenly claps his hands. At this signal, everyone should try to be the first to grab this object.

We train the speed of reaction to touch. The one who is training should not see his trainer (you can blindfold him). One person is sitting at the table, the second, whom he does not see, should suddenly touch him on the shoulder. In response, he should clap his hands, jump to the side, etc.

We train the speed of visual reaction. This is very important because most information enters the brain through vision.

A game of firecrackers. The two stand opposite each other, both have their arms bent at the elbows and raised, palms facing their partner. One hits the palm of the other with his palm. His task is to guess and in time remove the hand that his partner wants to hit.

As an option: both hands lie on the table in front of you. Each person takes turns trying to cover the other’s hand with one hand, and the other must have time to pull it away.

By the way, many people are familiar with these games from childhood.

But, of course, the most effective way to increase your reaction speed is to take up team sports, tennis or martial arts.

A person encounters emotional reactions every day, but rarely thinks about them. However, they make his life a lot easier. What does emotional release give a person? It helps keep your nerves in order. For this reason, those people who hide the manifestation of their emotions are more likely to suffer from heart failure and nervous diseases.

Definition

What is an emotional reaction? This is a process that is expressed in actions, words or state. It occurs in response to mental or external irritation. For example, someone scared you and you start to worry. Or someone gave you a surprise and you were happy. The emotional reaction to the same situation can be different between two people. Everything will depend on how one or another person views the current situation. Each person is the author of his own emotions, for this reason people can not only sincerely rejoice at something, but also fake their emotions. And sometimes the limits of decency force a person to restrain his feelings. But still, the real emotion and its simulated prototype will not escape the gaze of an attentive viewer.

Kinds

What types of emotional reactions are there? Conventionally, they can be divided into two groups. In the first, emotions are divided according to their positive connotation.

• Positive. A person has fewer positive emotions than negative ones. Is this due to the fact that there is not much pleasant in life? Not really. Historically, it so happened that a person felt good where he felt calm. And the calm flow of life does not evoke any vivid emotions.
• Negative. A person has more negative emotions than positive ones. This may be due to the fact that our ancestors spent a lot of time hunting and protecting themselves and their families. For this reason, they had many emotions associated with fear and irritation.

What other types can emotional reactions be divided into?

• Congenital. A person does not know what anger is from birth. This emotion is acquired. But even a baby knows what fear is.
• Learned. As the child develops, he explores the world and learns to express his emotions. Parents teach their child. They ensure that the child can react to a given situation in accordance with generally accepted norms.

Examples

What emotional reactions do you know? Below are the 6 main ones.

• Anger. This reaction occurs in the human soul when expectations do not coincide with reality. A person’s mood deteriorates and he begins to get irritated. To keep his nerves from getting worse, he spills everything out, most often on his interlocutor or on the one who happens to be closest.
• Joy. When a person is happy with something, he smiles and laughs. This reaction occurs to positive events.
• Yearning. Everyone experiences a sad state from time to time. Thanks to melancholy, a person can feel joy more keenly.
• Fear. This is an innate feeling that a person involuntarily experiences whenever he is in potential danger. The survival instinct is triggered, which warns of impending disaster.
• Astonishment. This emotional reaction can be both positive and negative. Everything will depend on the circumstances in which a person encounters surprise.
• Disgust. In a similar way, a person reacts to what is unpleasant to him. This emotion is acquired and formed under the influence of upbringing.

Degrees

Human emotional reactions develop in three directions. Conventionally, they can be characterized by three degrees.

• Rapidity. Each emotional reaction occurs with lightning speed, but a person does not know how long it will last. It all depends on how much this or that circumstance affects the person.
• Depth. Even if something has pissed off a person, the resentment can quickly pass, just like joy. But how strongly an emotion will strike a person will be determined by the depth of a particular person’s feelings for the person or object that caused the emotional reaction.
• Intensity. Some emotions are remembered for a long time, while others pass quickly. This is called the intensity of the reaction.

Types

Emotions are different, and so are human reactions. What does not interest a person passes quietly and does not touch the subtle strings of the soul. What is important to a person leaves a strong imprint. What types of emotional reactions are there?

• Emotional response. This reaction is considered the most standard and common. Something upsets you or makes you happy, you laugh or cry accordingly. Parents should develop the child's emotional reactions. If they don’t do this, it means their child will grow up to be an insensitive egoist.
• Emotional outburst. What does not fall under the definition of “response” can safely be called a flash. This is a short, strong reaction that leaves an imprint on a person’s soul. If you startle a friend unexpectedly and severely, you may see a clear example of an emotional outburst.
• Emotional explosion. This reaction, unlike a flash, is not lightning fast. It can occur as a result of a series of circumstances that alternately caused first an emotional response and then an outburst.

Functions

Why do people need emotional reactions and states?

• Regulatory. In order for the nervous system to function normally, it needs to discharge from time to time. Due to the outburst of emotions, tension is relieved and nerves return to normal.
• Estimated. A person does not have to test something through personal experience to understand whether it is good or bad. A person can imagine the emotions and reactions to them that he will experience in a given situation.
• Incentive. Some emotional reactions force a person to do something. If we take into account the truth of the saying that movement is life, then it is thanks to receiving specific emotions that a person can continue to move.
• Communicative. With the help of body language, a person can convey even more information than he can do verbally using words.

First reaction

A person can hide a lot from strangers, but not his feelings. Strong emotional disturbances are always conveyed through emotional reactions. An example of such behavior can be artificial smiles, which are commonly “put on” in society today. If your friend approaches you with a gloomy expression on his face, but his face changes when the person comes almost close, this means that the person is not very good-natured. On the face it is possible, but to an experienced eye the insincerity is immediately visible. As well as obvious joy, which betrays the sympathy of one person for another. If, when a person appears in a company of three people, one of them begins to smile broadly, then this is a clear sign of a caring attitude. So if you want to know how a person treats you, look at how he behaves when you appear.

Determination of reaction speed

Is there anyone who has not heard the phrase “response speed”? How many times have we “saved” mugs and plates at the last minute? How many times has she determined the result of competitions, relay races and competitions? Unexpected things can happen to any person, both at home and on the street, at any moment, and then
his health will directly depend on the speed of his reaction. But it is required not only for ordinary life. This is a professionally important quality for astronauts, pilots, sailors, military personnel, athletes, drivers, and operators. Hundreds of professions, thousands of situations, every day.

Probably, many people want to know the speed of their reaction or get an answer to the question: “Will I be able to catch up with Schumacher?” Will I be able to become a pilot or just increase my reaction speed a little?
What needs to be done for this?

First you need to measure it. It is not difficult to guess that the speed or speed of a reaction is measured by time, more precisely, by the time of a simple conditioned reflex reaction .

It is measured using complex instruments - chronoreflexometers,

and very simple and accessible means, for example, a school ruler. By the way, no less accurate.
Remember... everything ingenious is simple.

Measuring a simple conditioned reflex response

A simple conditioned reflex reaction is carried out as a simple movement in response to a simple signal. The signal-movement relationship is set by instructions spoken by the laboratory assistant.

Instructions
“You are offered a test of measuring reaction time using a school ruler. Need to catch her
in free fall.

The measurement is taken while standing. Keep your leading hand (right hand for right-handers) at chest level. Big
and the index finger must be brought as close as possible, but not touch the surface of the ruler. The zero mark should be located at the level of the upper edge of the index finger. As soon as you see the ruler falling, you should grab it. No additional command will be issued.
The measurement is carried out 3 times. Ready? Be careful."

Procedure
The measurement is carried out by two people. The readings are taken at the upper border of the index finger.

Interpretation of measurement results
After the measurement, the arithmetic mean of the three measurements is calculated and compared with the norms.

Norms

Video file “Measuring reaction time”

And now information for those who still want to get answers to their questions.

How to convert centimeters to milliseconds?

What is the limitation on human reaction speed?

The speed of a person’s reaction is determined by the functioning of the nervous system. When a person reacts to a very strong irritation that is life-threatening, for example, when he withdraws his hand from a hot object -
a simple reflex comes into play, in which the brain does not take part. Signal from the receptor
along the nerve fiber it goes to the spinal cord and then directly to the muscle, passing through only three nerve cells - a sensory neuron, an interneuron in the spinal cord and a motor neuron. The speed of the nerve impulse along the processes of nerve cells here is several tens of meters/sec. The determining factor is the time of synaptic transmission - about 0.1 sec.

First, the person withdraws his hand, and then feels pain. This is due to the fact that from pain receptors in
The brain signal travels along a different type of nerve fiber at a lower speed.

If we are talking about a person’s reaction to a stone flying at him, then there is also a reflex reaction: the eye transmits a signal about rapid movement not only to the parts of the brain where they are processed (and we understand: “a stone is flying”), but also through special nerves paths - to the muscles, which provides a quick avoidance reaction - moving to the side, jumping away, etc.

If we are talking about the reaction when playing tennis, then a gradual improvement in the reaction is associated with the formation of stereotypical reflexes that allow you to react without the participation of the cerebral cortex (without thinking), and, most importantly, such reactions are carried out without feedback, that is, there is no constant adjustment of movement . And when we are just learning to make a new movement, a complex interaction occurs: a signal about the action is sent to the muscle, a signal about the result of the action is sent back from it,
and an adjustment is underway, i.e. the muscle moves under constant control, which takes a lot of time.
All these processes involve different areas of the cerebellum and some other brain structures.

How to increase your reaction speed

The speed of human reaction can be increased. You can learn to respond to stimuli that precede an action. For example, not for a boxer’s blow, but for preparing for it - after all, before
hit the enemy will definitely look at the target, change his position, tense his muscles, inhale... There is more than enough time. You just need to develop a conditioned reflex, plant a new stimulus in the subconscious
and the response to it.

This exercise can help you with this:

Game of firecrackers.
The first partner stands and positions his open palm so that it is convenient for the second to hit it. For example, he stands sideways to the second person, holding his open palm in front of him. The second partner hits
palms of the first at arbitrary times. The task of the first is to remove the palm, the task of the second is to hit. You can keep score. Then the partners change. The principle inherent in this game can be transferred to other technical actions, for example, cutting and avoiding kicks at the lower level.

It is known that the subconscious reaction associated with the right hemisphere of the brain is much faster than the conscious reaction associated with the left hemisphere. It is logical to assume that it is in the subconscious that the
responses to a specific stimulus may be predetermined. And this is achieved through repeated repetition of movements during training. In total, you need to score about 5-10 thousand repetitions, and it makes no sense to do more than 300 repetitions at a time. 300 is a big enough number, it basically works out
no more than 200 movements per training, then it turns out that the subconscious assimilation of a motor pattern ideally requires about two months. Motor reactions must be carried out at the level of conditioned reflexes, and for this, as you can see, serious training is necessary.