Potential readiness

The readiness potential (Bereitschaftspotential) is the potential activity of motor cortex that occurs just before the movement.

Benjamin Libet in 1973 conducted an experiment. He gave the man the dial, which spun the light. To the wrist of the subject and certain parts of his brain were connected sensors. In some time when the subject made the decision to move the brush, to which was attached the sensor, the subject remember to dial the number, which stopped the flame (in fact, the time of the decision). Then he moved his brush. The sensors attached to the brain of the subject, recorded the activity in some areas, called "preparedness". Time preparedness, decision-making and wiggling the brush were recorded by instruments.

Contrary to expectations, the instruments showed the following sequence of events:
— first, there were potential availability;
— then after about 350 MS the subject consciously decided to move my brush (it's checked by the time on the dial in front of him);
— after about 100 MS the signal was coming from the wrist of the hand.

That is, before the moment of conscious decision, his brain was already activated.

This phenomenon, described and discovered in 60-ies of the twentieth century, scientists from the University of Freiburg Hans Helmut Cornubia (Hans Helmut Kornhuber).

At the time Libet (and many other scientists) thought it was a clear proof of the lack of discretional decisions by man. However, modern research has shown that preparedness decisions easier, but is not the immediate preparation for action.

Translated by «Yandex.Translator»