A Device for giving a Histogram of Time-Intervals

Abstract

IN human and animal behaviour studies it is often necessary to measure a large number of time-intervals—for example, stimulus-response times—and to find the mean and variance of the distribution of intervals for the various conditions of the experiment. At present this is either extremely laborious or it involves elaborate and expensive punch tape and computer techniques. The device to be described is designed to give the statistical distribution of time-intervals in a very simple manner. The distribution is built up during the experiment, and the mean and variance may be determined without the use of arithmetic. A photographic record of the distribution may be obtained without the use of a camera.