TABLE 6. Effect of EMF on human reaction time performance. See Podd, J.V., Whittington, C.J., Barnes, G.R.G., Page, W.H. and Rapley, B.I.: Do ELF magnetic fields affect human reaction time?, Bioelectromagnetics 16:317-323, 1995.
ALL BLOCKS | |||
MEAN±SD |
F |
P | |
| No Field | 220.7±13.6 |
3.2453 |
0.0316 |
| 0.1 Hz | 224.3±24.5 |
||
| 0.1 Hz | 224.3±24.5 |
2.0056 |
0.1319 |
| 0.2 Hz | 218.0±17.3 |
||
| No Field | 220.7±13.6 |
1.6181 |
0.2187 |
| 0.2 Hz | 218.0±17.3 |
||
BLOCK 1 |
BLOCK 2 |
BLOCK 3 | |||||||
MEAN±SD |
F |
P |
MEAN±SD |
F |
P |
MEAN±SD |
F |
P | |
| No Field | 219.0±13.4 |
3.9109 |
0.0164 |
220.6±13.9 |
2.5963 |
0.0660 |
225.3±15.3 |
2.0116 |
0.1309 |
| 0.1 Hz | 225.5±26.5 |
221.3±22.3 |
223.2±21.7 |
||||||
| 0.1 Hz | 225.5±26.5 |
1.4642 |
0.2688 |
221.3±22.3 |
1.6238 |
0.2170 |
223.2±21.7 |
2.8297 |
0.0493 |
| 0.2 Hz | 219.9±21.9 |
217.9±17.5 |
216.3±12.9 |
||||||
| No Field | 219.0±13.4 |
2.6710 |
0.0590 |
220.6±13.9 |
1.5851 |
0.2286 |
225.3±15.3 |
0.7109 |
0.7095 |
| 0.2 Hz | 219.9±21.9 |
217.9±17.5 |
216.3±12.9 |
||||||
BLOCK 4 |
BLOCK 5 | |||||
MEAN±SD |
F |
P |
MEAN±SD |
F |
P | |
| No Field | 218.4±12.9 |
5.2296 |
0.0054 |
220.4±13.8 |
2.6113 |
0.0632 |
| 0.1 Hz | 226.4±29.5 |
225.2±22.3 |
||||
| 0.1 Hz | 226.4±29.5 |
3.4423 |
0.0258 |
225.2±22.3 |
1.5013 |
0.2557 |
| 0.2 Hz | 214.7±15.9 |
221.0±18.2 |
||||
| No Field | 218.4±12.9 |
1.5192 |
0.2497 |
220.4±13.8 |
1.7393 |
0.1863 |
| 0.2 Hz | 214.7±15.9 |
221.0±18.2 |
||||
SHAM-EXPOSURE COMPARISONS | |||
MEAN±SD |
F |
P | |
| Block 1 | 219.0±13.4 |
1.0760 |
0.4527 |
| Block 2 | 220.6±13.9 |
||
| Block 2 | 220.6±13.9 |
1.2116 |
0.3779 |
| Block 3 | 225.3±15.3 |
||
| Block 3 | 225.3±15.3 |
0.7109 |
0.7095 |
| Block 4 | 218.4±12.9 |
||
| Block 4 | 218.4±12.9 |
1.1444 |
0.4135 |
| Block 5 | 220.4±13.8 |
||
The data was collected in blocks of 30 trials each. When the data was combined, the result was that the 0.1 Hz condition differed from the control, a result that was generally consistent with the result found by Friedman and Becker (see Friedman, H., Becker, R.O. and Bachman, C.H.: Effect of magnetic fields on reaction time performance, Nature 213:949-956, 1967). When the data was analyzed block by block, the implication was the same; of 15 comparisons, 5 were significant at a 5% level, and 7 were significant at a 10% level.
As a positive control I compared the results between different blocks in the no-field condition. No differences would be expected, and none were found.