Preparation for horizontal or vertical dimensions affects the right-left prevalence effect.
When stimulus and response simultaneously vary in both horizontal and vertical dimensions, the stimulus-response compatibility effect is often larger for the horizontal dimension. We investigated the role of preparation for each dimension in this right-left prevalence. In Experiment 1, tasks based on horizontal and vertical dimensions were mixed in random order, and the relevant dimension in each trial was cued with a variable cue-target stimulus onset asynchrony (SOA). A right-left prevalence effect was observed only when participants prepared for the upcoming task. Experiment 2 replicated the absence of the prevalence effect for the simultaneous presentation of cue and target using a fixed SOA of 0 msec. In Experiment 3, the right-left prevalence emerged with a 0-msec SOA when participants prepared for e achdimension basedon its frequency. These resultssuggest that participants' internal set can be greater for the horizontal dimension, leading to the right-left prevalence effect.
Nishimura
Akio
A
Department of Psycology, Graduate School of Humanities and Sociology, University of Tokyo, Japan. akio@L.u-tokyo.ac.jp
Yokosawa
Kazuhiko
K
D000328:Adult; D003463:Cues; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007600:Judgment; D008297:Male; D011930:Reaction Time; D014796:Visual Perception