The central locus of self-prioritisation

Self-related information is under many circumstances processed in a preferred and biased way, leading to what has been termed the self-prioritisation effect (SPE). The SPE has been demonstrated with arbitrary stimuli assigned to self and others, thereby controlling the influence of familiarity, and originally been attributed to facilitated perceptual processing of self-related stimuli. Subsequent studies, however, casted doubts on this interpretation and suggested further possible sources for the SPE. In the present four experiments, we used the well-established psychological refractory period paradigm together with the locus of slack and the effect propagation logic to pinpoint the source of the SPE. The data consistently demonstrated the SPE across all experiments. More important, the results converge on the notion that the SPE has its source in a capacity-limited stage of central processing. The implications of these results are discussed in light of possible candidate processes as sources for the SPE, such as memory-related processing.

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Effect of Complexity of the Second Response on Reaction Time to the First Response in the Psychological Refractory Period Paradigm

Perceptual and Motor Skills ◽

10.2466/pms.1987.64.3c.1075 ◽

1987 ◽

Vol 64 (3_suppl) ◽

pp. 1075-1080 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Craig J. Chamberlin

Keyword(s):

Reaction Time ◽

Refractory Period ◽

Psychological Refractory Period ◽

Parallel Model ◽

Relative Complexity ◽

Central Processing ◽

Psychological Refractory Period Paradigm ◽

First Response ◽

Grouping Effect ◽

Flexible Model

An attempt to distinguish serial from parallel models of central processing was made by manipulating the relative complexity of R2 and observing the effect of this manipulation on RT1 in the Psychological Refractory Period paradigm. 14 subjects performed under two conditions, either a simple or complex R2. Experimental controls were used to prevent a possible grouping effect of responses. The results did not support a parallel model of central processing but did support a serial view. Implications of results, combined with previous findings, for a more flexible model of central processing were discussed.

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Dual task interference on early perceptual processing

Attention Perception & Psychophysics ◽

10.3758/s13414-020-02158-0 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Justin Duncan ◽

Amélie Roberge ◽

Ulysse Fortier-Gauthier ◽

Daniel Fiset ◽

Caroline Blais ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Refractory Period ◽

Visual Memory ◽

Psychological Refractory Period ◽

Response Selection ◽

Sensory Modality ◽

Perceptual Processing ◽

Central Processing ◽

Temporal Proximity ◽

Response Modality ◽

Visual Spatial

AbstractWhen two tasks, Task 1 and Task 2, are conducted in close temporal proximity and a separate speeded response is required for each target (T1 and T2), T2 report performance decreases as a function of its temporal proximity to T1. This so-called psychological refractory period (PRP) effect on T2 processing is largely assumed to reflect interference from T1 response selection on T2 response selection. However, interference on early perceptual processing of T2 has been observed in a modified paradigm, which required changes in visual-spatial attention, sensory modality, task modality, and response modality across targets. The goal of the present study was to investigate the possibility of early perceptual interference by systematically and iteratively removing each of these possible non perceptual confounds, in a series of four experiments. To assess T2 visual memory consolidation success, T2 was presented for a varying duration and immediately masked. T2 report accuracy, which was taken as a measure of perceptual—encoding or consolidation—success, decreased across all experimental control conditions as T1–T2 onset proximity increased. We argue that our results, in light of previous studies, show that central processing of a first target, responsible for the classical PRP effect, also interferes with early perceptual processing of a second target. We end with a discussion of broader implications for psychological refractory period and attentional blink effects.

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