Simple and choice reaction times of healthy adults and patients after stroke during simulated driving

Abstract Several studies have shown faster choice-reaction times to positive than to negative facial expressions. The present study examined whether this effect is exclusively due to faster cognitive processing of positive stimuli (i.e., processes leading up to, and including, response selection), or whether it also involves faster motor execution of the selected response. In two experiments, response selection (onset of the lateralized readiness potential, LRP) and response execution (LRP onset-response onset) times for positive (happy) and negative (disgusted/angry) faces were examined. Shorter response selection times for positive than for negative faces were found in both experiments but there was no difference in response execution times. Together, these results suggest that the happy-face advantage occurs primarily at premotoric processing stages. Implications that the happy-face advantage may reflect an interaction between emotional and cognitive factors are discussed.

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Corroborating behavioral evidence for the interplay of representational richness and semantic control in semantic word processing

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-85711-7 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Laura Bechtold ◽

Christian Bellebaum ◽

Paul Hoffman ◽

Marta Ghio

Keyword(s):

Word Processing ◽

Context Effects ◽

Reaction Times ◽

Abstract Word ◽

Judgment Task ◽

Healthy Adults ◽

Control Mechanisms ◽

Contextual Cues ◽

Semantic Judgment ◽

Behavioral Evidence

AbstractThis study aimed to replicate and validate concreteness and context effects on semantic word processing. In Experiment 1, we replicated the behavioral findings of Hoffman et al. (Cortex 63,250–266, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cortex.2014.09.001, 2015) by applying their cueing paradigm with their original stimuli translated into German. We found concreteness and contextual cues to facilitate word processing in a semantic judgment task with 55 healthy adults. The two factors interacted in their effect on reaction times: abstract word processing profited more strongly from a contextual cue, while the concrete words’ processing advantage was reduced but still present. For accuracy, the descriptive pattern of results suggested an interaction, which was, however, not significant. In Experiment 2, we reformulated the contextual cues to avoid repetition of the to-be-processed word. In 83 healthy adults, the same pattern of results emerged, further validating the findings. Our corroborating evidence supports theories integrating representational richness and semantic control mechanisms as complementary mechanisms in semantic word processing.

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Review of: “Information Theory of Choice-Reaction Times” By D. R. J. Laming. (London: Academic Press, 1968.) [Pp. ix+172.] 63s.

Ergonomics ◽

10.1080/00140136908931110 ◽

1969 ◽

Vol 12 (6) ◽

pp. 937-944

Author(s):

A. A. KNIGHT

Keyword(s):

Information Theory ◽

Reaction Times ◽

Academic Press ◽

Choice Reaction Times

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2C4-4 Comparison of Driving Performance on the Unimanual and Bimanual Steering during Simulated Driving between Post-Stroke Patients and Healthy Adults

The Japanese Journal of Ergonomics ◽

10.5100/jje.51.s510 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 51 (Supplement) ◽

pp. S510-S512

Author(s):

Han Seong Choe ◽

Kwan Sub Lee ◽

Hwa Kyung Shin

Keyword(s):

Driving Performance ◽

Healthy Adults ◽

Stroke Patients ◽

Simulated Driving ◽

Post Stroke

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The Effects of Ethyl Alcohol on a Driver's Driving Skill, Visual Perception, Risk Acceptance, Choice Reaction Times and Information Processing Rates

Proceedings of the Human Factors Society Annual Meeting ◽

10.1177/154193127401800202 ◽

1974 ◽

Vol 18 (2) ◽

pp. 116-116

Author(s):

Helmut T. Zwahlen

Keyword(s):

Information Processing ◽

Standard Deviation ◽

Visual Perception ◽

Reaction Times ◽

Driving Skill ◽

Alcohol Condition ◽

The Mean ◽

Risk Acceptance ◽

Standard Deviations ◽

Choice Reaction Times

Twelve subjects (20–37 years old) were tested in the laboratory and eleven out of these were also tested in a car in the field, first under a no alcohol condition and then under an alcohol condition (approximately 0.10% BAC). In the laboratory the subjects simple and choice reaction times for two uncertainty modes were measured and their information processing rates (3 bits unsertainty) were determined. In the field the subjects driving skill for driving through a gap with 20 inches total clearance at 20 MPH was measured, as well as their static visual perceptual capabilities and risk acceptance decisions for a 46 feet viewing distance using psychophysical experimental methods. Based upon the driving skill measure (standard deviation of centerline deviations in the gap), the mean of the psychometric visual gap perception function and the mean of the psychometric gap risk acceptance function, the “Safety Distance” and the “Driver Safety Index” (DSI) were obtained. Based upon a statistical analysis of the data we may conclude first that the effects of alcohol (approximately 0.10% BAC) vary widely from one subject to another (slighthly improved performance to highly impaired performance) and that the changes in the group averages of the means and standard deviations of the psychometric visual perception and risk acceptance functions, the driving skill distributions, the “Safety Distances” and the DSI's for the subjects (although all changes in the group averages are in the expected direction) are statistically not significant (α = .05). Second, the group average of the means of the choice reaction times for the subjects increased by 5% under the alcohol condition (statistically significant, α = .05), but more important the group average of the standard deviations of the choice reaction times for the subjects increased by 23% (statistically significant, α = .05). The group average of the information processing rates for the subjects decreased by 3% (statistically not significant, α = .05) under the alcohol condition. A system model in which the system demands on the driver are represented in terms of choice reaction times is used to demonstrate that the increase in performance variability (expressed by the standard deviation of choice reaction times) under the influence of alcohol provides a much better explanation for the higher accident involvement than the historically most frequently used rather small increase in average performance (expressed by the mean of choice reaction times).

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