Verbal response-effect compatibility.
Ideomotor theory states that motor responses are activated by an anticipation of their sensory effects. We assumed that anticipated effects would produce response-effect (R-E) compatibility when there is dimensional overlap of effects and responses. In a four-choice task, visual digit stimuli called for verbal responses (color names). Each response produced a written response-effect on the screen. In different groups, the response-effect was a colored color word (e.g., blue in blue), a white color word, or a colored nonword (Xs in blue). In different blocks, the predictable effects were either incompatible (e.g., response "blue" --> effect: green) or compatible with the response. We found faster responses with compatible than with incompatible R-E mappings. The compatibility effect was strongest with colored words, intermediate with white words, and smallest with colored nonwords. We conclude that effect anticipation influences response selection on both a perceptual level (related to the word's color) and a conceptual level (related to the word's meaning).
Koch
Iring
I
Max Planck Institute for Psychological Research, Munich, Germany. iring.koch@mpipf-muenchen.mpg.de
Kunde
Wilfried
W
D000328:Adult; D003118:Color Perception; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008297:Male; D011897:Random Allocation; D011930:Reaction Time; D012660:Semantics; D014705:Verbal Behavior; D014796:Visual Perception