The Influence of Dimensional Overlap on Location-Related Priming in the Simon Task. Issue 12 (December 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lehle, Carola; Stürmer, Birgit; Sommer, Werner
• Is Part Of: Quarterly journal of experimental psychology. Volume 66:Issue 12(2013)
• Page Start: 2329
• Page End: 2347
• Publication Date: 2013-12
• Subjects: Dual-task performance -- Simon task -- Conflict -- Priming -- Event-related brain potentials; Psychology, Experimental -- Periodicals; Psychophysiology -- Periodicals; Psychology, Comparative -- Periodicals; 150.72405
• DOI: 10.1080/17470218.2013.778303
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1747-0218

Abstract

Choice reaction times are shorter when stimulus and response locations are compatible than when they are incompatible as in the Simon effect. Recent studies revealed that Simon effects are strongly attenuated when there is temporal overlap with a different high-priority task, accompanied by a decrease of early location-related response priming as reflected in the lateralized readiness potential (LRP). The latter result was obtained in a study excluding overlap of stimulus location with any other dimension in the tasks. Independent evidence suggests that location-related priming might be present in conditions with dimensional overlap. Here we tested this prediction in a dual-task experiment supplemented with recording LRPs. The secondary task was either a standard Simon task where irrelevant stimulus location overlapped with dimensions of the primary task or a Stroop-like Simon task including additional overlap of irrelevant and relevant stimulus attributes. At high temporal overlap, there was no Simon effect nor was there stimulus-related response priming in either condition. Therefore stimulus-triggered response priming seems to be abolished in conditions of limited capacity even if the likelihood of an S–R compatibility effect is maximized.