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Response Time Distribution Analysis of Semantic and Response Interference in a Manual Response Stroop Task
Nabil Hasshim1,2, Michelle Downes2, Sarah Bate1
11 Department of Psychology, Bournemouth University, United Kingdom.
Experimental Psychology
|July 4, 2019
Summary
This study investigated how semantic and response interference affect the Stroop effect. Findings indicate both types of conflict primarily impact the tail of response time distributions, challenging previous assumptions.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Psycholinguistics
- Neuroscience
Background:
- The Stroop effect, a measure of cognitive interference, has been previously analyzed using response time distributions.
- Specific components of Stroop interference, such as semantic and response processes, were hypothesized to affect different parameters (mode μ, standard deviation σ, tail τ) of these distributions.
- Gaps exist in the literature regarding direct manipulation of semantic and response interference to understand their impact on response time distributions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To experimentally manipulate both semantic and response interference within a manual response Stroop task.
- To examine the specific effects of these manipulated interferences on the entire response time distribution.
- To investigate the relationship between psychological processes and parameters of response time distributions.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a manual response Stroop task with direct manipulation of semantic and response interference.
- Employed Ex-Gaussian analysis to model the response time distributions.
- Applied Vincentizing (rank-ordered response times) to analyze distribution characteristics.
Main Results:
- Ex-Gaussian analysis revealed that both semantic and response conflict predominantly influenced the tail (τ) of the response time distribution.
- Vincentizing analysis demonstrated that increased semantic and response conflict correlated with slower response times across the distribution.
- Response conflict was observed to manifest earlier in the response time distribution compared to semantic conflict.
Conclusions:
- The findings challenge the precise attribution of distinct psychological processes (semantic vs. response) to specific parameters (μ, σ, τ) of the response time distribution.
- Both semantic and response interference appear to impact the slower tail of the distribution, suggesting a more complex interplay than previously assumed.
- The study underscores the importance of considering response modalities when analyzing the components of Stroop interference.
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