Module 1

Question 1

What are the 3 stages of information processing?

Answer 1

Stimulus identification, response selection, response programming

Question 2

What is reaction time (RT)?

Answer 2

Time between stimulus onset and movement initiation

Question 3

What is premotor time?

Answer 3

The entire time before movement, consists of stimulus identification, response selection and response programming. AKA central processing.

Question 4

What is motor time?

Answer 4

AKA peripheral processing. Peripheral muscle processes and initial contractile activity to overcome inertia.

Question 5

What are the 3 parts of the sensory-motor system?

Answer 5

Sensory system, motor system, control system.

Question 6

What is S-R compatibility?

Answer 6

The degree of natural or learned correspondence between a stimulus and a response.

Question 7

What is compatibility?

Answer 7

The degree to which relationships are consistent with human expectations.

Question 8

What is ipsilateral mapping?

Answer 8

When components of the dimension/stimulus and response are aligned. i.e., right hand pressing a button on the right side.

Question 9

What is contralateral mapping?

Answer 9

When components of the dimension/stimulus and response are NOT aligned. i.e., right hand pressing a button on the left side.

Question 10

Which mapping yields shorter RTs?

Answer 10

Ipsilateral mapping.

Question 11

What is spatial coding?

Answer 11

When responses are coded/represented in relation to their spatial positions. Can be either explicit (absolute spatial location), or implicit (responding to things like symbols or colors)

Question 12

What is the Poffenberger Paradigm?

Answer 12

Theory that RT differences are due to the time it takes for information to transfer between brain hemispheres.

Question 13

What proves that S-R compatibility is a cognitive phenomenon?

Answer 13

Wallace study with crossed hands - spatial compatibility effects are still apparent with ipsilateral mappings. Not dependent on R/L hands.

Question 14

What does spatial compatibility depend on?

Answer 14

The location of the response goal, not the location of the effector (think of the drumsticks study)

Question 15

Can compatibility effects change?

Answer 15

Yes, they are flexible depending on someone’s frame of reference/mental model (think of steering wheel study)

Question 16

What is an orthogonal space dimension?

Answer 16

When the stimulus and response dimensions don’t align.

Question 17

What are salient features?

Answer 17

The most distinct features of the dimension.

Question 18

In the horizontal and vertical dimensions, what are the most salient features (respectively)?

Answer 18

Right and up.

Question 19

To the left of a set midline, what orthogonal mapping produces faster RTs?

Answer 19

up-left and down-right (counterclockwise).

Question 20

To the right of a set midline, what orthogonal mapping produces faster RTs?

Answer 20

up-right and down-left (clockwise).

Question 21

What is the Simon Effect? Why does it occur?

Answer 21

Even when spatial location is irrelevant in a task, spatial-compatibility effects persist. The Simon Effect occurs due to the dual process model.

Question 22

What is the dual process model?

Answer 22

Consists of an automatic response, and an intentional response. Abrupt stimuli prime spatially compatible responses, and use the automatic response. Task dependent S-R transformations are associated with the intentional response. If the automatic and intentional responses don’t match, the automatic response is aborted, resulting in a slower RT (choosing a new intentional response).

Question 23

What is the foreperiod?

Answer 23

The time between the warning signal and stimulus onset.