scholarly journals Strategies that reduce Stroop interference

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bence Palfi ◽  
Ben Parris ◽  
Anthony Collins ◽  
Zoltan Dienes
Keyword(s):  
Stroop Task ◽  
Stroop Interference ◽  
Compelling Evidence ◽  
Hypnotic Suggestion ◽  
Speed Up ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms ◽  
Visual Blurring ◽  
Word Blindness ◽  
Target Words

A remarkable example of reducing Stroop interference is provided by the word blindness post-hypnotic suggestion (a suggestion to see words as meaningless during the Stroop task). This suggestion has been repeatedly demonstrated to halve Stroop interference when it is given to highly hypnotisable individuals. In order to explore how highly hypnotisable people manage to reduce Stroop interference when they respond to the word blindness suggestion, we tested four candidate strategies in two experiments outside of the hypnotic context. A strategy of looking-away from the target words, and a strategy of visual blurring demonstrated compelling evidence for substantially reducing Stroop interference in both experiments. However, the pattern of results produced by these strategies did not match those of the word blindness suggestion. Crucially, neither looking-away nor visual blurring managed to speed up incongruent responses, suggesting that neither of these strategies are likely underlying mechanisms of the word blindness suggestion. Although the current results did not unravel the mystery of the word blindness suggestion, they showed that there are multiple voluntary ways through which participants can dramatically reduce Stroop interference.

scholarly journals Oxytocin impedes the effect of the word blindness post-hypnotic suggestion on Stroop task performance

2013 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. 895-899 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin A. Parris ◽  
Zoltan Dienes ◽  
Sarah Bate ◽  
Stace Gothard
Keyword(s):  
Task Performance ◽  
Stroop Task ◽  
Hypnotic Suggestion ◽  
Word Blindness

scholarly journals Response Time Distribution Analysis of Semantic and Response Interference in a Manual Response Stroop Task

2019 ◽  
Vol 66 (3) ◽  
pp. 231-238 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nabil Hasshim ◽  
Michelle Downes ◽  
Sarah Bate ◽  
Benjamin A. Parris
Keyword(s):  
Response Time ◽  
Stroop Task ◽  
Time Distribution ◽  
Response Times ◽  
Response Time Distribution ◽  
Stroop Interference ◽  
Response Conflict ◽  
Distribution Analysis ◽  
Manual Response ◽  
Response Interference

Abstract. Previous analyses of response time distributions have shown that the Stroop effect is observed in the mode (μ) and standard deviation (σ) of the normal part of the distribution, as well as its tail (τ). Specifically, interference related to semantic and response processes has been suggested to specifically affect the mode and tail, respectively. However, only one study in the literature has directly manipulated semantic interference, and none manipulating response interference. The present research aims to address this gap by manipulating both semantic and response interference in a manual response Stroop task, and examining how these components of Stroop interference affect the response time distribution. Ex-Gaussian analysis showed both semantic and response conflict to only affect τ. Analyzing the distribution by rank-ordered response times (Vincentizing) showed converging results as the magnitude of both semantic and response conflict increased with slower response times. Additionally, response conflict appeared earlier on the distribution compared to semantic conflict. These findings further highlight the difficulty in attributing specific psychological processes to different parameters (i.e., μ, σ, and τ). The effect of different response modalities on the makeup of Stroop interference is also discussed.

Stroop Interference is the Result of Comparable, Not of Differential Processing Speeds of Two Stimulus Dimensions

1998 ◽  
Vol 87 (1) ◽  
pp. 375-380 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jenn-Yeu Chen
Keyword(s):  
Stroop Task ◽  
Stroop Interference ◽  
Stimulus Array ◽  
Horizontal Line ◽  
Differential Processing ◽  
Task Processing

On a digit-counting Stroop task, processing of the slower, nonverbal, i.e., number, dimension was slowed further by a large-number set (6 to 9), as compared with a small-number set (1 to 4). In the task, neutral symbols or conflicting digits were arranged on a horizontal line (e.g., @@@, 444) and on two separate sheets. Each sheet contained 120 stimulus arrays. Subjects counted out loud the number of symbols or digits in each array, and their counting times for each sheet were recorded. 23 subjects received the small-number set while 21 received the large-number set. It was found that counting a large number of symbols took significantly longer time (by 162 sec. per 120 stimulus arrays) than counting a small number of symbols. Moreover, interference was nonexistent (2 msec. per stimulus array) when a large number of conflicting digits were counted but was of a typical magnitude (110 msec. per stimulus array) when a small number of conflicting digits were counted. This suggests that Stroop interference is better explained as the result of comparable, not of differential, processing speeds of the two stimulus dimensions. Implications for the cause and the locus of Stroop interference are discussed.

Motion in Response to the Hypnotic Suggestion of Arm Rigidity:A Window on Underlying Mechanisms

2010 ◽  
Vol 58 (3) ◽  
pp. 251-268 ◽  
Author(s):  
Victoria Galea ◽  
Erik Z. Woody ◽  
Henry Szechtman ◽  
Michael R. Pierrynowski
Keyword(s):  
Hypnotic Suggestion ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms

Stroop task among patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and pathological gambling (PG) in methadone maintenance treatment (MMT)

CNS Spectrums ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 19 (6) ◽  
pp. 509-518 ◽  
Author(s):  
Einat Peles ◽  
Aviv Weinstein ◽  
Anat Sason ◽  
Miriam Adelson ◽  
Shaul Schreiber
Keyword(s):  
Pathological Gambling ◽  
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder ◽  
Stroop Task ◽  
Interference Effect ◽  
Methadone Maintenance Treatment ◽  
Maintenance Treatment ◽  
Methadone Maintenance ◽  
Stroop Interference ◽  
Obsessive Compulsive ◽  
Compulsive Disorder

ObjectivesTo evaluate the impaired attention selection (Stroop interference effect) and general performance [reaction times (RTs)] on the Stroop task among methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) patients with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), pathological gambling (PG), both PG/OCD or none, and the influence if having ADHD.MethodsEighty-six patients and 15 control subjects underwent the Stroop task, which measured RTs of condition-related words (color, obsessive compulsive disorder, pathological gambling, addiction) and neutral words.ResultsMMT patients had longer RTs on the Stroop task compared with controls. RTs were longer among patients with OCD and in those who abused drugs on the study day. The combined PG/OCD group had the longest RTs, but they were also characterized as abusing more drugs, being older, and having worse cognitive status. Stroop color interference differed only among MMT patients with ADHD, and it was higher among those with OCD than those without OCD. The modified condition-related Stroop did not show any interference effect of OCD, addiction, or gambling words.ConclusionsMMT patients had generally poorer performance, as indicated by longer RTs, that were related to clinical OCD, drug abuse, poor cognitive state, and older age. Patients with both clinical OCD and ADHD had a higher Stroop interference effect, which is a reflection of an attention deficit. In order to improve clinical approach and treatment of MMT patients, OCD and ADHD should be evaluated (and treated as needed).

Impulsivity and Conflict in the Stroop Task

2007 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-50 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marieke M. Lansbergen ◽  
Erika van Hell ◽  
J. Leon Kenemans
Keyword(s):  
Stroop Task ◽  
Normal Population ◽  
Error Rates ◽  
Stroop Interference ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Impulsive Behavior ◽  
Interference Control ◽  
Conflict Processing ◽  
Enhanced Sensitivity ◽  
Brain Correlates

Abstract. It has been suggested that impulsive behavior can be attributed to weaker interference control. The present research used a Stroop task to test whether impulsivity within the normal population is associated with weaker interference control. Sixteen high- and 16 low-impulsive healthy volunteers performed a Stroop task, which varied in the proportion of incongruent trials to induce high conflict and provoke more impulsive behavior. Event-related brain potentials (ERP) were recorded to assess the brain correlates of Stroop interference (N/P450 and SP [sustained potential]), which have been suggested to reflect conflict processing and attentional control, respectively. Higher conflict resulted in more Stroop interference and enhanced N/P450 and SP. Source analyses indicated that the neural generators of the N/P450 and the SP may both be located near the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), suggesting that both may reflect aspects of conflict processing. Differences in Stroop interference in terms of error rates, but not in terms of reaction time were found between high and low impulsives. This result may reflect enhanced sensitivity to the surprise value of unexpected stimulus categories, rather than enhanced interference. High impulsive participants did not differ from low impulsive participants with respect to the N/P450, but the SP seemed to originate from a more posterior and right-sided cortical network in high impulsive relative to low impulsive participants. In conclusion, high impulsiveness within the normal population as assessed by an impulsivity questionnaire is not associated with relatively early processes during response inhibition, but the present results may suggest an association between impulsiveness and further, more complex conflict processing.

An Optimal Viewing Position Effect in the Stroop Task When Only One Letter Is the Color Carrier

2007 ◽  
Vol 54 (4) ◽  
pp. 273-280 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ben A. Parris ◽  
Dinkar Sharma ◽  
Brendan Weekes
Keyword(s):  
Word Recognition ◽  
Visual Word Recognition ◽  
Stroop Task ◽  
Position Effect ◽  
Automatic Processing ◽  
Stroop Interference ◽  
Single Letter ◽  
Visual Word ◽  
Optimal Viewing Position ◽  
Viewing Position

Abstract. Coloring only a single letter in the Stroop task can result in a reduction or elimination of Stroop interference. The present experiments were designed to test whether this modulation of Stroop interference occurs at all letter positions. Specifically, we investigated whether Stroop interference was reduced when the colored letter occupied the optimal viewing position (OVP). The experiments show that Stroop interference is not reduced at the OVP (Experiment 1) and that Stroop interference at the OVP is significantly greater than at other letter positions (Experiments 1 and 2). This finding has important theoretical and methodological consequences for studies of automatic processing in visual word recognition.

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