Transfer effects of incompatible location-relevant mappings on a subsequent visual or auditory simon task

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Psychology
• Human Performance

Background:

• The Simon task assesses cognitive control and stimulus-response compatibility.
• Prior incompatible practice can influence performance on related tasks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how incompatible spatial stimulus-response practice affects subsequent Simon task performance.
• To examine the role of practice modality (visual vs. auditory) and delay intervals (5 min vs. 1 week) on transfer effects.

Main Methods:

• Two experiments were conducted using a Simon task paradigm.
• Participants practiced with an incompatible mapping of left/right stimuli to keypress responses.
• Performance was assessed after delays of 5 minutes or 1 week, with varying practice modalities.

Main Results:

• Experiment 1 showed the visual Simon effect was eliminated with auditory practice and reversed with visual practice; delay had no significant effect.
• Experiment 2 found significant auditory Simon effects regardless of practice modality; delay had a marginal effect.
• Transfer effects, particularly the elimination of the visual Simon effect, were attributed to persistent short-term stimulus-response associations.

Conclusions:

• Short-term stimulus-response associations formed during incompatible practice can persist and influence subsequent task performance.
• Auditory practice appears more effective in eliminating the visual Simon effect compared to visual practice.
• Further practice may be needed to observe reliable transfer effects for the stronger auditory Simon effect.