Set- and Element-Level Stimulus-Response Compatibility Effects for Different Manual Response Sets

Two types of stimulus–response compatibility (SRC) effect occur with orthogonal stimulus and response sets, an overall up–right/down–left advantage and mapping preferences that vary with response position. Researchers agree that the former type is due to asymmetric coding of the stimulus and response alternatives, but disagree as to whether the latter type requires a different explanation in terms of the properties of the motor system. This issue is examined in three experiments. The location of the stimulus set influenced orthogonal SRC when it varied along the same dimension as the responses (Experiments 1 and 2), with the pattern predicted by the hypothesis that the stimulus set provides a referent relative to which response position is coded. The effect of stimulus-set location on orthogonal SRC was independent of the stimulus onset asynchrony (SOA) for a marker that indicated stimulus-set side and the imperative stimulus. In contrast, a spatial correspondence effect for the irrelevant stimulus-set location and response was a decreasing function of SOA. Experiment 3 showed that the orthogonal SRC effect was determined by response position relative to the stimulus-set location and not the body midline. The results support the view that both types of orthogonal SRC effects are due to asymmetric coding of the stimuli and responses.

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Influences of different combinations of conceptual, perceptual, and structural similarity on stimulus-response compatibility

The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology Section A ◽

10.1080/02724980143000163 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 55 (1) ◽

pp. 59-74 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Robert W. Proctor ◽

Huifang Wang ◽

Kim-Phuong L. Vu

Keyword(s):

Structural Similarity ◽

Perceptual Similarity ◽

Response Compatibility ◽

Element Level ◽

Conceptual Similarity ◽

Stimulus Response ◽

Vocal Responses ◽

Spatial Dimensions ◽

Automatic Activation ◽

Stimulus Response Compatibility

This study evaluated the hypothesis that an increase in set-level stimulus-response compatibility produces facilitation for congruent mappings and interference for incongruent mappings. The degree of set-level compatibility was manipulated by varying combinations of conceptual, perceptual, and structural similarity. Experiment 1 varied perceptual similarity, by combining two stimulus codes (spatial, verbal) with two response modalities (manual, vocal) for orthogonal spatial dimensions, which have structural similarity. The element-level mapping effect did not vary as a function of the code-modality relation, in contrast to findings obtained with parallel spatial dimensions, which also have conceptual similarity. Experiment 2 manipulated combinations of conceptual and perceptual similarity by combining vertical and horizontal stimulus and response orientations, using verbal or spatial stimuli and vocal responses. The element-level mapping effect was larger for parallel than orthogonal orientations, with congruent mappings showing facilitation and incongruent mappings showing interference. The largest effect was facilitation for parallel orientations with the verbal-vocal set, consistent with the view that perceptual similarity contributes to performance primarily when responding with the identity of the stimulus. Our results indicate that conceptual similarity, but not perceptual similarity, produces the facilitation/interference pattern suggestive of automatic activation of the corresponding response regardless of mapping.

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