Effects of Response Modality on Interference between Stimulus Dimensions

摘要

This report concerns the effects of response modality and the relation between stimulus dimensions on subjects' ability to report one dimension of a multidimensional stimulus. Subjects were asked to report, as rapidly as possible, either the name or the ink color of colored words. The relation between the ink color and work was either congruent (Blue in blue ink), neutral (Door in blue ink), or incongruent (Blue in red ink). Responses were made either manually or vocally. Results are consistent with previous findings in the area of Stroop (Stroop, 1935) research. That is, responding to one of two dimensions is more difficult when the relation between dimensions is incongruent than when the relation between dimensions is congruent or neutral. But in addition, results show that no interference from an incongruent, ink-color dimension results when subjects respond vocally to the word dimension, whereas when subjects respond manually to this dimension, the incongruence between the colors and word produce interference. Results suggest a limitation on the usefulness of a color dimension when a word dimension requires a speeded-speech response. (Author)