Relationship between reaction time and movement time in a motor skill with children

The objetive of this study was to perform an analysis of correlation between reaction time and movement time in children. The reaction time was measured using a platform connected to a microcomputer containing six containers numbered of 1 until 6. The task was to carry tennis balls from the bottom of the platform to the top in the following order (4-1/5-2/6-3) in the highest possible speed. It was interpreted as the reaction time period between the presentation of the stimulus and when subject released the hand of the response-key to start the task, the movement time was measured from the release of key until the time that carried the balls in the sequence predetermined and pressed the key again, thus characterizing the end of task. The subjects were 10 children of both gender between 9 and 11 years with mean of age 10.6 plus or minus 0.8 years, inexperienced in the task. For the statistical analysis was used the Spearman correlation which found significant value for the association (r sub( s) = .54, p = .05). The results indicate that there is significant correlation between simple reaction time and movement time in the motor skill with children.