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Effects of irrelevant spatial S-R compatibility depend on stimulus complexity
1Max-Planck-Institut für psychologische Forschung, Munich, Germany.
Psychological Research
|January 1, 1994
Summary
The Simon effect, influenced by irrelevant spatial stimulus-response correspondence, was investigated. Results show this effect occurs with easy stimulus discrimination but not with difficult discrimination, resolving previous experimental contradictions.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive psychology
- Human factors
- Neuroscience
Background:
- The Simon effect demonstrates that reaction time is influenced by the spatial relationship between a stimulus and a response, even when location is task-irrelevant.
- Previous research has yielded conflicting results regarding the Simon effect's dependence on stimulus complexity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether stimulus complexity influences the Simon effect.
- To determine if the difficulty of discriminating stimulus identity impacts the spatial Simon effect.
Main Methods:
- An experiment was designed to compare the Simon effect under conditions of easy versus difficult stimulus discrimination.
- Participants' choice-reaction times were measured in relation to stimulus location and identity.
Main Results:
- The Simon effect, an influence of irrelevant spatial stimulus-response correspondence, was observed with easy stimulus discrimination.
- This spatial effect was not found when stimulus discrimination was difficult.
Conclusions:
- Stimulus complexity modulates the Simon effect.
- Difficult stimulus discrimination appears to reduce or eliminate the impact of irrelevant spatial information on response selection.