Lab: Timing of Mental Processes

Question 1

What is the choice reaction time task? and the processes that make up the task

Answer 1

if you see ‘A’ push button Z. If you see ‘B’ push button X

detect stimulus –> identify stimulus –> select response –> execute response

Question 2

what is the go/no go task? and the processes that make up the task

Answer 2

if you see ‘C’ push button N. If you see anything else don’t make a response

Detect stimulus –> idenifity stimulus –> execute stimulus

Question 3

what is the simple reaction time task? and the processes that make up the task

Answer 3

if you see anything at all, press button N

detect stimulus –> execute response

Question 4

what is the subtraction method of psychology

Answer 4

The basic idea of the subtraction method for reaction time is that a measure of the duration of a particular process can be found by obtaining two measurements of time that include the process and subtracting one from the other.

Question 5

Assumptions of the subtraction method?

Answer 5

• assumption of seriality (no task overlap)
• assumption of independence (removal of one task does not effect the other)

Question 6

fMRI and subtraction method

Answer 6

the brain always has activity, so when performing the task we don’t want that extraneous activity
we perform subtraction of a task condition and a rest condition (subtracting rest condition activity from the experimental condition activity leaves us with task related activity)

Question 7

spatial navigation experiment one, was the hypothesis supported?

Answer 7

no

Question 8

spatial navigation experiment 2 was the hypothesis supported

Answer 8

yes