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Orthogonal stimulus-response compatibility effects emerge even when the stimulus position is task irrelevant
Akio Nishimura1, Kazuhiko Yokosawa
1Department of Psychology, Graduate School of Humanities and Sociology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan. akio@L.u-tokyo.ac.jp
Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology (2006)
|August 4, 2006
Summary
The orthogonal stimulus-response compatibility (SRC) effect occurs even with irrelevant stimulus features. This study shows that response code polarity influences the orthogonal Simon effect, demonstrating automatic processing of stimulus-response mappings.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Human Factors
- Neuroscience
Background:
- The orthogonal stimulus-response compatibility (SRC) effect describes a performance advantage when stimulus-location-response mappings align diagonally (e.g., upper visual field with right-hand response).
- Previous research primarily focused on relevant stimulus dimensions influencing SRC effects.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if the orthogonal SRC effect manifests with irrelevant stimulus dimensions.
- To examine the role of response code polarity in modulating the orthogonal SRC effect.
Main Methods:
- Experiment 1: Participants performed a key-press task (left/right) responding to stimulus color (red/blue) presented above or below a fixation point.
- Experiment 2: Manipulated response set location to alter the polarity of the response codes (left vs. right).
Main Results:
- An orthogonal Simon effect (above-right/below-left advantage) was observed when stimulus location was irrelevant.
- The magnitude of the orthogonal Simon effect decreased and even reversed as the left response code became more positive.
Conclusions:
- The orthogonal SRC effect can be elicited by irrelevant stimulus dimensions, specifically color in this study.
- Findings suggest automatic activation of response codes based on stimulus properties, influenced by the inherent polarity of response mappings.