Automatic motor activation by mere instruction.
Previous behavioral studies have shown that instructions about stimulus-response (S-R) mappings can influence task performance even when these instructions are irrelevant for the current task. In the present study, we tested whether automatic effects of S-R instructions occur because the instructed stimuli automatically activate their corresponding responses. We registered the lateralized readiness potentials (LRPs) that were evoked by the instructed stimuli while participants were performing a task for which those mappings were irrelevant. Instructed S-R mappings clearly affected task performance in electrophysiological and behavioral measures. The LRP was found to deflect in the direction of the response tendency that corresponded with the instructed S-R mapping. Early activation of the instructed response was observed but occurred predominantly on slow trials. In contrast, response conflict evoked by instructed S-R mappings did not modulate the N2 amplitude. The results strongly suggest that, like experienced S-R mappings, instructed S-R mappings can lead to automatic response activation, but possibly via a different route.
Department of Psychology, Ghent University, Henri Dunantlaan 2, 9000, Ghent, Belgium, Tom.Everaert@UGent.be.
Tom
T
Everaert
Marijke
M
Theeuwes
Baptist
B
Liefooghe
Jan
J
De Houwer
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001931:Brain Mapping; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D011930:Reaction Time; D013663:Teaching; D014473:Unconscious, Psychology; D055815:Young Adult