Sequential Modulations of Logical-Recoding Operations in the Simon Task

2004 ◽  
Vol 51 (2) ◽  
pp. 98-108 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Wühr
Keyword(s):  
Simon Effect ◽  
Simon Task ◽  
Feature Integration ◽  
Horizontal Position ◽  
Conflict Monitoring ◽  
Stimulus Position ◽  
Green Stimulus ◽  
Green Response

Abstract. The Simon effect consists of faster responses to the color (or another nonspatial feature) of spatially corresponding stimuli than to spatially noncorresponding stimuli. Recently, several studies observed the Simon effect after corresponding predecessor trials, but not after noncorresponding predecessor trials. To explain these sequential modulations, Stürmer et al. (2002 ) proposed a mechanism modulating the ability of stimulus position to automatically activate a response. The present study investigated which events are effectively triggering this mechanism in a variant of the Simon task, in which both stimuli and responses varied in color (participants wore colored gloves) as well as in horizontal position. In the same-color task (e.g., green stimulus-green response), a normal Simon effect showed up after corresponding trials, but no effect occurred after noncorresponding trials. In the alternate-color task (e.g., green stimulus-red hand), no effect occurred after spatially corresponding trials, whereas an inverted Simon effect was found after noncorresponding trials. Additional analyses showed that repetition (or alternation) effects did not affect the results. The results are discussed in terms of a conflict-monitoring account ( Stürmer et al., 2002 ), and in terms of a feature-integration account ( Hommel et al., 2002 ).

Exploring trial-by-trial modulations of the Simon effect

2005 ◽  
Vol 58 (4) ◽  
pp. 705-731 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Wühr ◽  
Ulrich Ansorge
Keyword(s):  
Simon Effect ◽  
Short Soas ◽  
Stimulus Onset ◽  
Feature Integration ◽  
Conflict Monitoring ◽  
Stimulus Position ◽  
Stimulus Response ◽  
Systematic Effects ◽  
Onset Asynchrony ◽  
Response Activation

The present study investigates sequential modulations of the Simon effect. The Simon effect involves faster responses to spatially corresponding than to noncorresponding stimuli, even when stimulus position is irrelevant. Recently, the Simon effect has been shown to decrease or to disappear after noncorresponding predecessor trials. Possible explanations for these sequential modulations include (a) the gating of position-based response activation (conflict monitoring), (b) repetition or alternation effects, and (c) the interaction between feature integration (binding) processes and stimulus-response (S-R) correspondence. Three experiments tested different predictions of these models by comparing Simon effects after neutral trials with those after corresponding and noncorresponding trials, respectively, and by varying the stimulus-onset asynchrony (SOA) between and within experiments. Experiments 1 and 2 revealed large Simon effects after corresponding trials, intermediate Simon effects after neutral trials, and small (or no) Simon effects after noncorresponding trials. Moreover, some systematic effects of S-R repetitions and S-R alternations were observed. Finally, the sequential modulations were maximal at short SOAs and decreased with increasing SOA, but still occurred at an SOA of 6 seconds. The results seem to exclude repetition or alternation effects as the main cause of sequential modulations of the Simon effect, but both conflict monitoring and binding may contribute to these effects.

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.

A feature-integration account of sequential effects in the Simon task

2004 ◽  
Vol 68 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bernhard Hommel ◽  
Robert W. Proctor ◽  
Kim-Phuong L. Vu
Keyword(s):  
Simon Task ◽  
Feature Integration ◽  
Sequential Effects

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.

Asymmetrical hemispheric EEG activation evoked by stimulus position during the Simon task

2006 ◽  
Vol 399 (3) ◽  
pp. 215-219 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chiara Spironelli ◽  
Mariaelena Tagliabue ◽  
Alessandro Angrilli
Keyword(s):  
Simon Task ◽  
Stimulus Position ◽  
Eeg Activation

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.

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