scholarly journals Metacontrol and joint action: how shared goals transfer from one task to another?

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roman Liepelt ◽  
Markus Raab
Keyword(s):  
Simon Effect ◽  
Joint Action ◽  
Cooperative Control ◽  
Simon Task ◽  
Team Sports ◽  
State Theory ◽  
Processing Modes ◽  
Cooperative Processing ◽  
Group Experience ◽  
Control State

AbstractIn most of our daily activities and in team sports, we interact with other individuals and do not act in isolation. Using a social variant of the standard two-choice Simon task, this study aims to test if competitive/cooperative processing modes (i.e., metacontrol states) change the degree of bodily self-other integration between two persons in joint action. In addition, and more exploratory the study tested if this effect depends on a shared group experience with the partner. Two participants shared a visual Simon task, so that each person basically performed complementary parts of the task, which transfers the paradigm into a go/no-go Simon task for each person. Before running this joint Simon task, we set both participants either in a competitive or a cooperative control state by means of a dyadic game, a manipulation aimed at testing possible goal transfer across tasks. We found significant joint Simon effects for participants who were in a competitive state and for participants who were in a cooperative state. The joint Simon effect for participants being in a competitive state was significantly smaller than for participants being in a cooperative state. When experiencing the goal induction together with the partner, the joint Simon effect was significantly decreased as when the induction was performed alone. Both effects (metacontrol state induction and shared experience) seem to be statistically independent of each other. In line with predictions of metacontrol state theory, our study indicated that abstract cognitive goal states can be transferred from one task to another task, able to affect the degree of bodily self-other integration across different task situations.

scholarly journals Corepresentation During Joint Action in Marmoset Monkeys (Callithrix jacchus)

2018 ◽  
Vol 29 (6) ◽  
pp. 984-995 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fabia M. Miss ◽  
Judith M. Burkart
Keyword(s):  
Simon Effect ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Joint Action ◽  
Simon Task ◽  
Joint Control ◽  
Common Marmosets ◽  
Monkey Species ◽  
Joint Task ◽  
Cooperatively Breeding ◽  
Marmoset Monkeys

Behavioral coordination is a fundamental element of human cooperation. It is facilitated when individuals represent not only their own actions but also those of their partner. Identifying whether action corepresentation is unique to humans or also present in other species is therefore necessary to fully understand the evolution of human cooperation. We used the auditory joint Simon task to assess whether action corepresentation occurs in common marmosets, a monkey species that engages extensively in coordinated action during cooperative infant care. We found that marmosets indeed show a joint Simon effect. Furthermore, when coordinating their behavior in the joint task, they were more likely to look at their partner than in a joint control condition. Corepresentation is thus not unique to humans but also present in the cooperatively breeding marmosets. Since marmosets are small-brained monkeys, our results suggest that routine coordination in space and time, rather than complex cognitive abilities, plays a role in the evolution of corepresentation.

scholarly journals Deciphering the nature of the joint Simon effect through electromyographic analyses

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen Davranche ◽  
Clément Belletier ◽  
thibault gajdos ◽  
Carbonnell Laurence ◽  
Franck Vidal ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Control ◽  
Simon Effect ◽  
Joint Action ◽  
Simon Task ◽  
Behavioral Repertoire ◽  
Stimulus Response ◽  
Motor Time ◽  
Automatic Response ◽  
Correspondence Effect ◽  
The Individual

This study aimed to apply electromyographic techniques and distributional analyses to test whether an increase in the strength of stimulus-response mapping could explain the mechanisms underlying the joint Simon effect. Within a single protocol, participants performed a Simon task and a Go/NoGo task in isolation, and a joint Go/NoGo task with a co-actor (joint Simon task). Results showed that joint-action impairs cognitive control and shortened reaction time by impacting both pre-motor time and motor time. Joint-action induced a larger facilitation on pre-motor time of ipsilateral than contralateral associations. This potentiation of the spatial correspondence effect plausibly explains the larger Simon-like effect usually observed in the joint Go/NoGo task compared to that observed in the isolated Go/NoGo task. The propensity of making incorrect activations and their concentration among fast responses also increased when working co-actively. Together, these findings indicate that joint-action increases the strength of automatic response capture induced by the stimulus location, promotes the delivery of the stronger association in the behavioral repertoire of the individual, and reduces cognitive control.

The Role of Visual Distractors in the Simon Effect

2017 ◽  
Vol 64 (6) ◽  
pp. 387-397 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luisa Lugli ◽  
Stefania D’Ascenzo ◽  
Roberto Nicoletti ◽  
Carlo Umiltà
Keyword(s):  
Simon Effect ◽  
Simon Task ◽  
Automatic Generation ◽  
Spatial Code ◽  
Attentional Model ◽  
Previous Evidence ◽  
Spatial Stimulus ◽  
Attentional Resources ◽  
Code Changes

Abstract. The Simon effect lies on the automatic generation of a stimulus spatial code, which, however, is not relevant for performing the task. Results typically show faster performance when stimulus and response locations correspond, rather than when they do not. Considering reaction time distributions, two types of Simon effect have been individuated, which are thought to depend on different mechanisms: visuomotor activation versus cognitive translation of spatial codes. The present study aimed to investigate whether the presence of a distractor, which affects the allocation of attentional resources and, thus, the time needed to generate the spatial code, changes the nature of the Simon effect. In four experiments, we manipulated the presence and the characteristics of the distractor. Findings extend previous evidence regarding the distinction between visuomotor activation and cognitive translation of spatial stimulus codes in a Simon task. They are discussed with reference to the attentional model of the Simon effect.

Binding of Event Files in a (go/no-go) Simon Task With an Accessory Peripheral Signal

2009 ◽  
Vol 56 (2) ◽  
pp. 100-111 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathleen Maetens ◽  
David Henderickx ◽  
Eric Soetens
Keyword(s):  
Simon Effect ◽  
Time Course ◽  
Simon Task ◽  
Reaction Times ◽  
Response Signal ◽  
Event File ◽  
Response Information ◽  
Event Files ◽  
Accessory Stimulus ◽  
Accessory Signal

To understand the relation between the Simon effect and the time course of relevant and irrelevant code activations, we presented the response signal before or simultaneously with a go/no-go signal in an accessory Simon task. A peripheral accessory signal could appear before, simultaneously with or after the go/no-go signal. We observed a Simon effect when the accessory signal was presented just before or simultaneously with the go signal, irrespective of the delay between response and go/no-go signal. The Simon effect reversed when the accessory signal was presented 150 ms after the go signal when response information was presented first and the participants had to make a go/no-go decision afterwards or when they had to select a response when the go signal appeared. The reversal did not occur when both decisions were required at the same time. Our data suggest that the integration and release of event files are involved in the occurrence of the reversal. Response activation induced by the accessory stimulus facilitates/interferes with the response when it is presented before the event file is integrated. When the accessory stimulus is presented after integration, the automatically activated response is inhibited, causing a delay in the corresponding reaction times.

scholarly journals Effect of Perceived Interpersonal Closeness on the Joint Simon Effect in Adolescents and Adults

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raheleh Shafaei ◽  
Zahra Bahmani Dehkordi ◽  
Bahador Bahrami ◽  
Maryam Vaziri-Pashkam
Keyword(s):  
Simon Effect ◽  
Joint Action ◽  
Social Factor ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Reaction Time Task ◽  
Interpersonal Closeness ◽  
Spatial Stimulus ◽  
The Social ◽  
Adolescents And Adults ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms

Here we investigated the effect of interpersonal closeness on joint action using the joint Simon task in adolescents and adults. In a two-choice reaction time task, spatially defined responses to non-spatial stimulus attributes are faster when stimulus and response locations are congruent than when they are incongruent. This phenomenon is called Simon effect and is absent or strongly weakened when a participant responds to only one of the stimuli. However, the effect reappears when two participants carry out the same go/no-go tasks cooperatively. This re-emergence of the Simon effect in joint action is called the joint Simon effect (JSE). In this study, we first replicated the standard and joint Simon effects in adolescents, as well as adults with similar magnitude of the effects in the two age groups. The magnitude of the JSE was positively correlated with the level of closeness as measured by Inclusion of Other in the Self scale. This correlation was not significantly different in adolescents compared to adults. Our findings show that joint action is sensitive to the social factor such as interpersonal closeness, and the underlying mechanisms are already mature by adolescence.

The Influence of Social and Nonsocial Variables on the Simon Effect

2015 ◽  
Vol 62 (4) ◽  
pp. 215-231 ◽  
Author(s):  
Davide R. Mussi ◽  
Barbara F. M. Marino ◽  
Lucia Riggio
Keyword(s):  
Simon Effect ◽  
Social Factors ◽  
Simon Task ◽  
Interpersonal Relationship ◽  
Social Contexts ◽  
Choice Task ◽  
Gender Composition ◽  
Shared Task ◽  
Task Features

Abstract. Recently, the Simon effect (SE) has been observed in social contexts when two individuals share a two-choice task. This joint SE (JSE) has been interpreted as evidence that people co-represent their actions. However, it is still not clear if the JSE is driven by social factors or low-level mechanisms. To address this question, we applied a common paradigm to a joint Simon task (Experiments 1 and 4), a standard Simon task (Experiment 2), and a go/no-go task (Experiment 3). The results showed that both the JSE and the SE were modulated by the repetition/non-repetition of task features. Moreover, the JSE was differently modulated by the gender composition of the two individuals involved in the shared task and by their interpersonal relationship. Taken together, our results do not support a pure social explanation of the JSE, nevertheless, they show the independent role of different social factors in modulating the effect.

REDUCTION OF THE SIMON EFFECT DUE TO A PREVIOUS INCOMPATIBLE PRACTICE

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luiz G Gawryszewski
Keyword(s):  
Simon Effect ◽  
Simon Task ◽  
Spatial Compatibility ◽  
Task Control ◽  
Incompatible Condition

The objective of this work was to investigate whether the influence of the incompatible practice on the Simon effect depends on where it was carried out or whether it is generalized to other sites. In this way, the participants were divided into two groups according to where the incompatible test was performed. Both groups were tested in a Simon task (control condition) in a room (A) that was followed by a spatial compatibility task (incompatible condition) performed in the same room (A) or in another room (B). Finally, the participants again performed Simon's task in room A.

Transfer of orthogonal stimulus–response mappings to an orthogonal Simon task

2009 ◽  
Vol 62 (4) ◽  
pp. 746-765 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gi Yeul Bae ◽  
Yang Seok Cho ◽  
Robert W. Proctor
Keyword(s):  
Simon Effect ◽  
Simon Task ◽  
Visual Stimuli ◽  
Stimulus Location ◽  
Response Compatibility ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Response Code ◽  
Stimulus Response ◽  
Stimulus Response Compatibility ◽  
Alternative Mapping

When up–down stimulus locations are mapped to left–right keypresses, an overall advantage for the up–right/down–left mapping is often obtained that varies as a function of response eccentricity. This orthogonal stimulus–response compatibility (SRC) effect also occurs when stimulus location is irrelevant, a phenomenon called the orthogonal Simon effect, and has been attributed to correspondence of stimulus and response code polarities. The Simon effect for horizontal stimulus–response (S–R) arrangements has been shown to be affected by short-term S–R associations established through the mapping used for a prior SRC task in which stimulus location was relevant. We examined whether such associations also transfer between orthogonal SRC and Simon tasks and whether correspondence of code polarities continues to contribute to performance in the Simon task. In Experiment 1, the orthogonal Simon effect was larger after practising with an up–right/down–left mapping of visual stimuli to responses than with the alternative mapping, for which the orthogonal Simon effect tended to reverse. Experiment 2 showed similar results when practice was with high (up) and low (down) pitch tones, though the influence of practice mapping was not as large as that in Experiment 1, implying that the short-term S–R associations acquired in practice are at least in part not modality specific. In Experiment 3, response eccentricity and practice mapping were shown to have separate influences on the orthogonal Simon effect, as expected if both code polarity and acquired S–R associations contribute to performance.

scholarly journals Social bonding through joint action: when the team clicks

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacob Taylor
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Neuroscience ◽  
Predictive Models ◽  
Joint Action ◽  
Social Bonds ◽  
Team Sports ◽  
Social Bonding ◽  
Initial Test ◽  
The Core ◽  
Group Movement ◽  
Rugby Players

Collective physical activity in the context of team sports and group movement, music-dance and exercise is widely thought to generate and strengthen social bonds among participants. Causal accounts of these effects remain narrow and imprecise, however. Here we develop and test a novel, generalisable account of the links between coordinated joint action and social bonding. At the core of this account is the idea of "team click," a visceral and socially agentic phenomenon that we hypothesize derives from perceptions of successful coordination of movement in interdependent joint action and that positively predicts social bonding. We report the results of an initial test of this hypothesis conducted among professional rugby players in a national tournament in China. Results support the predicted relationship between perceptions of successful coordination in joint action and social bonding, mediated by perceptions of team click. Findings are discussed and situated within emerging dynamical, hierarchical and predictive models of intra- and inter-personal cognition from computational and cognitive neuroscience.

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