Visual and auditory accessory stimulus offset and the Simon effect

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.

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The enhanced Simon effect for older adults is reduced when the irrelevant location information is conveyed by an accessory stimulus

Acta Psychologica ◽

10.1016/j.actpsy.2004.10.014 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 119 (1) ◽

pp. 21-40 ◽

Cited By ~ 44

Author(s):

Robert W. Proctor ◽

David F. Pick ◽

Kim-Phuong L. Vu ◽

Rachael E. Anderson

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Simon Effect ◽

Location Information ◽

Accessory Stimulus

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Simon effect with and without awareness of the accessory stimulus.

Journal of Experimental Psychology Human Perception & Performance ◽

10.1037/0096-1523.32.2.268 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 32 (2) ◽

pp. 268-286 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Barbara Treccani ◽

Carlo Umiltà ◽

Mariaelena Tagliabue

Keyword(s):

Simon Effect ◽

Accessory Stimulus

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Effects of laterality and pitch height of an auditory accessory stimulus on horizontal response selection: The Simon effect and the SMARC effect

Psychonomic Bulletin & Review ◽

10.3758/pbr.16.4.666 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 16 (4) ◽

pp. 666-670 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

Akio Nishimura ◽

Kazuhiko Yokosawa

Keyword(s):

Simon Effect ◽

Response Selection ◽

Pitch Height ◽

Accessory Stimulus

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The Role of Visual Distractors in the Simon Effect

Experimental Psychology (formerly Zeitschrift für Experimentelle Psychologie) ◽

10.1027/1618-3169/a000382 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 64 (6) ◽

pp. 387-397 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

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.

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