Forward versus backward semantic priming: What movement dynamics during lexical decision reveal

Separate processes underlying forward (e.g., crescent MOON) and backward (e.g., office POST) priming have previously been inferred from button-press lexical decision response times, with an automatic prospective mechanism and a strategic retrospective mechanism presumed responsible for forward and backward priming, respectively. We tracked hand/mouse kinematics during lexical decision, and found that forward, backward, and symmetrical (e.g., cat DOG) priming exhibited different movement trajectories, with the effect of forward priming emerging earlier than that of backward priming and with symmetrical priming taking the lead around the time when the backward priming effect came online. The findings provide strong converging evidence for different mechanisms driving forward and backward priming, and demonstrate that continuous kinematic measures can shed light on cognitive processes as they unfold in real time.

Effect of Cursor Orientation on Left- and Right-Hand Mouse Control

Many factors, such as cursor orientation, cursor shape, and direction of movement have previously been found to impact human performance in graphical user interfaces. However, the majority of, if not all, previous research has focused on right-hand mouse control of cursors. The current study examined both left and right hand mouse control of cursor with a 2 (response hand; left vs. right) x 3 (cursor type; left-oriented arrow, right-oriented arrow, and neutral-orientated crosshairs) x 8 (target location) within-subjects design. The purpose was to examine the effects of response hand and cursor orientation on performance of moving cursors into different target locations. Results showed that there was a difference in the three cursor types for right handed individuals, as well as in left- and right-hand mouse control for right-handed, left-handed, and ambidextrous individuals. Implications for interface design and future research are discussed.