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Psychophysiological studies of unattended information processing.
F Valle-Inclán1, C de Labra, M Redondo
1University of La Coruña, Spain. fval@udc.es
The Spanish Journal of Psychology
|January 5, 2002
Summary
Researchers investigated the Simon and accessory effects using lateralized motor potentials. Findings suggest response selection interference is key to the Simon effect, and accessory effect facilitation occurs before response selection concludes.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Psychophysiology
Background:
- The Simon effect and accessory effect are fundamental in understanding cognitive control.
- Previous research has debated the automaticity of the Simon effect and the timing of the accessory effect.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the Simon effect and accessory effect using psychophysiological measures.
- To clarify the role of response selection in these effects and resolve long-standing controversies.
Main Methods:
- Utilized lateralized motor potentials recorded from the scalp.
- Analyzed reaction time and response interference patterns.
- Applied these methods to study both the Simon and accessory effects.
Main Results:
- Interference during response selection is critical for the Simon effect, questioning its automaticity.
- Facilitation in the accessory effect occurs before response selection is complete.
- Lateralized motor potentials provided insights into the timing of cognitive processes.
Conclusions:
- The findings challenge the widely accepted view of the Simon effect as purely automatic.
- The locus of the accessory effect is clarified, resolving a significant debate in cognitive psychology.