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The "Motor" in Implicit Motor Sequence Learning: A Foot-stepping Serial Reaction Time Task
Published on: May 3, 2018
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Simple and choice reaction time methods in the study of motor programming
1Department of Psychology, California State University, Hayward, CA 94542, USA.
Journal of Motor Behavior
|June 1, 1979
Summary
Simple reaction time (RT) increases with more items, but this finding is not universal. The study suggests response programming is not the sole explanation, especially in simple-RT tasks.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Human Factors
Background:
- Previous research indicated a linear relationship between the number of items and simple reaction time (RT).
- The response programming interpretation was proposed to explain these findings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To replicate and examine the generalizability of Sternberg et al.'s (1978) findings on simple RT.
- To test the validity of the response programming interpretation in simple-RT paradigms.
Main Methods:
- Replication of selected experiments from Sternberg et al. (1978).
- Analysis of reaction time data under varying task demands.
Main Results:
- The previously reported linear increase in simple RT with item number was not consistently observed.
- The response programming interpretation failed to predict outcomes in all tested conditions.
Conclusions:
- The response programming interpretation for simple RT is not universally applicable.
- Motor response programming is better investigated using choice-RT paradigms.
- Observed effects in simple-RT tasks may stem from processes other than motor programming.
