Experimenting

Over the past week, I have been experimenting on different people of different genders. I asked them all a series of questions each, and went through with the ruler test, then timed the seconds it took for each reaction. I also carried out another physical reation test, called "Sheep Dash". This is to also test reflexes and reaction time.

I have come to a decision that I'm going to test 10 people from each gender, so I can get at least a mildly accurate result.    

Research

I just did some more research, and I found that since we have all evolved from our ancestors, we still have some of their traits. For example, it states that men may have a quicker reaction time to some things, because of their hunting and gathering instincts from thousands of years ago, that became an evolutionary trait.

- www.answers.com

I also researched information about how humans receptors work, and how they register our senses like touch, sight, smell, taste and hearing. These characteristics can vary for each person. Typically, women are known to be smarter than men mentally, but men seem to be more physically strong and react to things faster physically. In a woman, the neurons move faster through their bodies than mens, but men are more capable of moving faster physically.

This information helps support my hypothesis, because it explains that men seem to be quicker than women physically.

Experiment Method

Method:

1. Ask test subject the following questions, and perform the tests:

- What's your our favourite song?

- What's your favourite colour?

- If you could have one super human power, what would it be?

- You are the driver of a train, and the brakes aren't working. If you go straight, you will hit a dead end, and the train will crash. If you take the turn, there is a man lying stuck in the tracks.

Would you:

-Go straight

-Take the turn

- You were on a raft on a rough river, and your best friend fell off it, and into the water. 

Would you:

-Turn the boat around to save them, but risk the lives of you and all the other passangers

-Keep going to keep yourself, and the other passengers safe


The "Sheep Dash" test.

1. Get the person to sit down at their computer

2. Make sure their finger is about 3cm above the mouse button

3. Get them to complete the test

4. Record number of seconds it took them to react to the sheep

5. Work out each persons average time

- The Ruler Test.

-Hold the ruler about 3cm away from the persons hand.

-Place the ruler so that 0cm, is facing down, closest to their hand.

-Tell them to catch the ruler when they see it drop, with their pointer finger and thumb.

-Drop the ruler (without giving the person any warning)

-Record where on the ruler they caught it. (cm)

2. Time the amount time it takes them to respond from when you have asked them the questions.

3. Record each persons results into a table.

Questions I'm Going To Ask

Moral Dilemna:

• You are the driver of a train, and if you go straight ahead on the tracks, the train will hit a dead end and everybody on the train will be killed, but you also have the option of switching onto the other track that leads a different way, but there is one person tied to the tracks. Would you keep going straight to the dead end? Or take the other route?

Scenarios:

• If you were given 1 million dollars, would you give half to your family? Or keep it all to yourself?
• What's your favourite colour?
• If you could have one super-natural power, what would it be?

Planning

I am going to test some males and females by asking them questions and scenarios, and timing how long it takes them to answer and react. I'm going to measure the response time in seconds.

I am also going to conduct case studies about different life experiences in relation to peoples impulsive reactions. Trying to support my hypothesis by seeing if there are higher percentages recorded of males making impulsive decisions over females.

Hypothesis

I have decided that my hypothesis for my assignment is:
"Males React Faster Than Females".