For my lab experiment I observed that from trial to trial, though there was slight improvement overall, there were not enough trials to draw any conclusions. Some of the results were inconsistent and there was quite a bit of variation between some trials. I think this highlights how humans are not machines and that reaction time is something that will vary even after heavy training.
Although my results seemed varied, I still think that humans are very similar to machines. To catch the ruler, we relied on inputs (sight, touch) as well as an ability to control our hand in the same way each time. Sometimes, it took me about 102 milliseconds to catch the ruler while other times I didn't catch it at all. Still, every time the ruler was dropped I made an attempt to catch it based on what my inputs were telling me. I may not be a very coordinated machine, but I am still a machine.
"Although my results seemed varied, I still think that humans are very similar to machines. To catch the ruler, we relied on inputs (sight, touch) as well as an ability to control our hand in the same way each time. Sometimes, it took me about 102 milliseconds to catch the ruler while other times I didn't catch it at all. Still, every time the ruler was dropped I made an attempt to catch it based on what my inputs were telling me. I may not be a very coordinated machine, but I am still a machine.
-kshatzer"
I disagree. Even though our results were a bit erratic, there was a pattern formed over time through our trials. My partner's reaction time decreased as the experiment continued and her hand-eye coordination improved. I varied the timing of my release in relation to my warning of "Ready - " to see if she was timing her hand in accordance to my words. Even with the randomization of timing, her response improved. Also, her response with her non-dominant hand was up to 33% quicker than her dominant hand. If we were machines, and we had perfected the movement and reaction of our dominant hands our whole life, wouldn't it be the other way around in this experience? It only shows that we are not machines - our judgments, conscious or subconscious, make us human. We may function similar to machines, with muscle contractions and electronic signals and such, but what drives us is our mind. Machines can only make judgments based on criterion they are programmed with. We judge, act, and improve on our own.
