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The representation of delayed intentions: a prospective subject-performed task?
Jayne E Freeman1, Judi A Ellis
1School of Psychology, University of Reading, Earley Gate, Whiteknights, Reading R6G 6AL, U.K. j.e.freeman@reading.ac.uk
Summary
Material intended for action is recognized faster, suggesting motor information is activated during verbal encoding in preparation for intended enactment. This effect is specific to to-be-enacted items.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Action Planning
- Memory Research
Background:
- Material intended for action is more accessible in recognition and lexical decision tasks.
- This accessibility is often attributed to the superior status of intention-related information.
- An alternative action-superiority account is explored, linking intended enactment effect (IEE) with subject-performed task effect.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the action-superiority account of the intended enactment effect (IEE).
- To explore the parallels between the IEE and the subject performed task effect.
- To determine the role of motor activation in the IEE for verbal material.
Main Methods:
- Two experimental paradigms were employed to study recognition latencies.
- The study compared recognition of enacted, to-be-enacted, and non-enacted material.
- Motor processing was manipulated during verbal encoding and post-encoding phases.
Main Results:
- Faster recognition latencies were observed for both enacted and to-be-enacted material.
- No intended enactment effect was found for items already executed during encoding.
- Preventing motor processing after verbal encoding eliminated the IEE.
Conclusions:
- Findings suggest an overlap between overt and intended enactment.
- Motor information is likely activated for verbal material in preparation for subsequent execution.
- The action-superiority account provides a viable explanation for the intended enactment effect.