Simple Reaction Time

Differentiate between Simple Reaction Time and Choice Reaction Time. Ensure that your responses relate to work related quality improvement activities.

Before trying to clarify the difference between Simple Reaction Time and Choice Reaction Time, it is important to understand the neurological process is responding to exogenous sensory stimulation. The outside sensory information is received by the peripheral nervous system through the sensory receptors. The sensorial neurons send electric impulses to the brain along the nerves. After the brain processes the information, the motor neurons located in the spinal cord will provoke the reflex action and the movement in the body muscles.

1 .Simple Reaction Time (SRT)

It is the time elapsed between the application of a single external stimulus acts over the body senses and the generation of an automatic motor response in our body. One example from my work experience was while I was working in a Pet Food Company. The CQI Team started up successfully a Red Alert Customer Service Project. Every time that an emergency call was received, the receptionist had to activate an alert bottom, and the staff members had to meet in the conference room in two minutes as maximum. This company usually invests in many resources to protect the reputation of its brands.

2. Choice Reaction Time (CRT)

In the Choice Reaction Time, Central Nervous System interprets the sensory stimulation and makes the body to react in multiple ways (variety of responses) for every stimulation event. Due the complexity of the responses, the reaction the CRT is slower than the SRT. While working in a snack processing company in Mexico, a security device was installed in the corn chips fryer. When a yellow flashing signal was activated (at 200 °C), the Production Operator had to cut off the gas supply to the fryer for 5 minutes (Plan A). When the red light flashes (at 220 °C),, the operator has to execute the Plan B actions before the matter became serious (high risk of fire): cutting of the gas supply, opening removing the corn chips from the fryer and contacting the fire brigade. It’s very common for food fryers to catch on fire.

It is important to emphasize the importance of keeping a continuous training program to improve the sensorial and motor skills of the workers.

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