The document discusses the chronoscope, an instrument invented in the 1840s to precisely measure small time intervals. A chronoscope functions by measuring reaction times for visual and audio stimuli. It was initially used to study ballistics and nerve conduction speeds but was later adopted by experimental psychology with Wilhelm Wundt recommending its use to study simple reaction times. The document provides details on the chronoscope's applications in fields like psychology, physiology and physics as well as references used in the discussion.

1. Simple Reaction Time (Visual and Audio)
(Chronoscope)
Dr Rajesh Verma
Assistant Professor in Psychology
Govt. College Adampur, Hisar (Haryana)
8/9/2020 PPT slides © Dr Rajesh Verma FGM Govt Collage Adampur, Hisar, Haryana

2. Brief Introduction
 The term chronoscope (from the Greek
chronos, meaning “time,” and skopos,
meaning “observer”).
 An instrument that measures small
intervals of time (Merriam Webster) or an
optical instrument used to measure very
small time intervals with precision
(wiktionary.org).
http://vlp.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de/essays/data/enc13?p=2
8/9/2020 PPT slides © Dr Rajesh Verma FGM Govt Collage Adampur, Hisar, Haryana

3.  Chronoscope was invented by English
scientist around 1840 and later German
clock maker and mechanic Mattha¨us
Hipp around 1850.
 In 1874 Wilhelm Wundt recommended
chronoscope for experimental psychology.
Courtesy: khodiyarlab.com
8/9/2020 PPT slides © Dr Rajesh Verma FGM Govt Collage Adampur, Hisar, Haryana

4. Apparatus type
Electrical
Link for Reaction time video –
https://youtu.be/FL-wpF9IOoo
8/9/2020 PPT slides © Dr Rajesh Verma FGM Govt Collage Adampur, Hisar, Haryana

5. Applications
1. Psychology – SRT (A & V).
2. Ballistic experiments (speed of bullets).
3. Physiology (Nerve impulse transmission
& velocity of various sense impressions).
4. Physics (Rapid motions i.e. time taken
by a falling body).
8/9/2020 PPT slides © Dr Rajesh Verma FGM Govt Collage Adampur, Hisar, Haryana

6. References:
1. Sturm, T., & Ash, M. G. (2005). Roles of Instruments
in Psychological Research. History of Psychology, 8(1), 3–34.
doi:10.1037/1093-4510.8.1.3.
2. Schmidgen, H. (2005). Physics, Ballistics, and
Psychology: A History of the Chronoscope in/as Context,
1845-1890. History of Psychology, 8(1), 46–78.
doi:10.1037/1093-4510.8.1.46
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_viewer
4. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/chronoscope.
5. http://vlp.mpiwg-
berlin.mpg.de/essays/data/enc13?p=2
8/9/2020 PPT slides © Dr Rajesh Verma FGM Govt Collage Adampur, Hisar, Haryana

7. vermasujit@yahoo.com
Next
Discussion
Muller lyer
IllusionApparatus
8/9/2020 PPT slides © Dr Rajesh Verma FGM Govt Collage Adampur, Hisar, Haryana