Effect of colour and gender on human reaction time.

Reaction time measurement is an indirect index of processing capability of central nervous system and s imple means o f determining sensory motor association and performance of an individual (1). Reaction time has physiological significance and is a simple and non invasive test for peripheral as well as central neural structures (2). Reaction time is crucial for our everyday lives and requires intact sensory skills, cognitive processing and motor performance. It determines the alertness of a person because how quickly a person responds to a stimulus depends on his reaction time and therefore it must be lesser in certain occupation e.g. Drivers, sportsmen, pilots, military people, doctors, nursing staff, security guards. Various factors influencing human reaction time are age, left or right hand, direct (central) versus peripheral vision, practice, fatique, fasting, breathing cycle, personality types, exercise, and intelligence of the subject. Out of these various factors, in this study we had studied the time taken between application of visual st imulus and response obtained and comparison of the response in male and female volunteer. The human reaction time measurement had been made from the volunteers subjected to visual stimulus. Students between 17-25 yrs had been included in this study on the basis of physical examination. Proper consent of volunteer student had been obtained before the procedure. Students having normal acuity of vision as tested by Snellen’s test type and Jaeger’s test type. Students having normal color perception as tested by Ischihara’s chart. Students having no neural diseases and students having no muscle diseases had been taken. Study had been carried out on the Medical student of tertiary health centre of Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai. 125 Male and 125 Female Medical students fulfilling inclusion criteria had been included. The apparatus used in this study is ‘Research Reaction Time apparatus’ Manufactured by Anand Agencies, Pune-2. Each individual had been explained about the test and sufficient trials had been given for proper understanding. All the subjects had been subjected to the tests in the secluded/quiet room. Before measuring the visual human reaction time, each subject had been asked to identify the flashing of red and green light. Subject had been instructed to press the response button by the Rt. Index finger already on it to stop the clock as soon as he/she will see the red/ green light. From digital display, reaction time had been noted. Three readings of each stimulus taken and their respective average calculated.