How does Stroop interference change with practice? A reappraisal from the musical Stroop paradigm

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Psychology
• Auditory Perception

Background:

• Previous studies on the Stroop effect and reading practice suggest an inverted U-shaped curve.
• This pattern implies improved cognitive control with increased reading experience.
• However, age and reading practice are confounded, potentially influencing results.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between musical practice and the Stroop effect, decoupling age from training duration.
• To determine if the inverted U-shaped curve observed in reading-based Stroop tasks is replicated in a musical context.
• To examine the influence of musical training amount on Stroop interference.

Main Methods:

• Two experiments utilized a musical Stroop paradigm, replacing word reading with note naming as the source of interference.
• Participants' musical training duration was systematically varied.
• The amplitude of the musical Stroop effect was measured in relation to the amount of musical practice.

Main Results:

• An early appearance of the musical Stroop interference effect was observed, similar to color-word and picture-word Stroop tasks.
• The inverted U-shaped curve was not replicated.
• Experiment 2 demonstrated a linear, positive correlation between musical Stroop effect amplitude and the duration of musical training (up to 5 years).

Conclusions:

• The findings suggest that reading practice alone may not enhance control over reading.
• The typical inverted U-shaped curve in reading-based Stroop studies is likely influenced by the confounding effect of age.
• Musical training exhibits a direct, positive relationship with the magnitude of the musical Stroop effect.