Reflex Lab

In this lab, we tested how our reflexes would react to different stimulus. Reflexes are rapid, predictable and involuntary responses to stimuli. There are somatic and autonomic reflexes. Somatic stimulates skeletal muscles while autonomic regulate smooth muscle and control much more organs.

Photopupillary Reflex
We shined a flashlight into our partner's eyes after they kept them shut for a few minutes. The sudden influx of light caused the reflex to contract the iris which caused the pupil to constrict. We observed the pupil constricting slightly when the flashlight was shone directly on the eye. I think humans have this reflex so we can see better when we transition from different environments. This reflex controls the amount of light that enters the eye by constricting the pupils in bright situations and dilating in the dark.

Knee Jerk Reflex
The knee jerk reflex is typically located right below the knee and when struck with a reflex hammer or hand the leg will kick out significantly. We noted this during the lab and got the reflex when we found where the reflex was exactly located. I think the knee jerk reflex helps us maintain our balance. When we lose our balance, this reflex allows the quads to contract and regain our balance.

Blink Reflex
The blink reflex allows us to blink when something is thrown directly at our eyes. We observed this when throwing a cotton ball at my partner's face and they blinked every single time. Even though there was a clear barrier right in front of them, they still blinked. I think we have this reflex to protect our eyes and to prevent things from getting into it like the cotton ball in this activity.

Babe, what's your sign?
We took a pen and dragged it across the foot from the heel all the way to the base of the big toe. The toes are supposed to flex and move closer together. We both noticed that this happened in our feet when we dragged the pen across. I think this occurs to prevent further damage to the base of the foot in case of danger. I think it can also help test for neurological dysfunctions.

How Fast Are You?
In this activity, we measure our response time to something we see. We took a ruler and dropped it unexpectedly for each other to catch. We noted the distance when the person caught the ruler and then converted it into time. Then, we did the same activity but this time the other person was not so focused on catching the ruler because they had to be texting. In the end, the results showed that while texting, our response time increased. Mine increased by 0.084 seconds which is a lot because this correlates with texting and driving. Our reaction time is reduced so we are less likely respond in a timely matter which can be extremely dangerous. Also, men have a faster reaction time compared to women because they have more white matter in their brains.