The modulation of simple reaction time by the spatial probability of a visual stimulus

Abstract

Simple reaction time (SRT) in response to visual stimuli can be influenced by many stimulus features. The speed and accuracy with which observers respond to a visual stimulus may be improved by prior knowledge about the stimulus location, which can be obtained by manipulating the spatial probability of the stimulus. However, when higher spatial probability is achieved by holding constant the stimulus location throughout successive trials, the resulting improvement in performance can also be due to local sensory facilitation caused by the recurrent spatial location of a visual target (position priming). The main objective of the present investigation was to quantitatively evaluate the modulation of SRT by the spatial probability structure of a visual stimulus. In two experiments the volunteers had to respond as quickly as possible to the visual target presented on a computer screen by pressing an optic key with the index finger of the dominant hand. Experiment 1 (N = 14) investigated how SRT changed as a function of both the different levels of spatial probability and the subject's explicit knowledge about the precise probability structure of visual stimulation. We found a gradual decrease in SRT with increasing spatial probability of a visual target regardless of the observer's previous knowledge concerning the spatial probability of the stimulus. Error rates, below 2%, were independent of the spatial probability structure of the visual stimulus, suggesting the absence of a speed-accuracy trade-off. Experiment 2 (N = 12) examined whether changes in SRT in response to a spatially recurrent visual target might be accounted for simply by sensory and temporally local facilitation. The findings indicated that the decrease in SRT brought about by a spatially recurrent target was associated with its spatial predictability, and could not be accounted for solely in terms of sensory priming. Correspondence

Estudo da correlação entre a velocidade de reação motora e o lactato sanguíneo, em diferentes tempos de luta no judô

“…Besides, the performance on TR was not dependent on the side of the limb that will perform the task (right or left), unlike results found by Mori et al (16) , who observed significant difference between sides, observation that corroborate Coronel et al (17) , who demonstrated that there might be influences of the cerebral hemisphere specialization on TR tasks. Generally, it is understood that the spatial position of the stimulus (18) , the type of response requested (unilateral or bilateral) and the subject's position may influence the time of reaction. In the protocol applied by Mori et al (16) , the subjects remained sitting and reacted to the visual signal with upper limbs by pressing the key that recorded the TR, one time with the left hand and the other time with the right hand, thus obtaining no influence from one of the sides, when the other had to respond providing a distinct TR for each task execution side.…”

The Development a New Device to Measure of Audial and Visual Reaction Time in Hand and Foot (Validity and Reliability Study)

“…Reaction time is the time that elapses from the start time of the stimulus and the time interval at which the response begins (Bompa, 1998;Tamer, 2000;Carreiro et al, 2003;Gunay, Tamer & Cicioglu, 2013). Reaction time can be examined in different ways.…”

O paradigma de priming semântico na investigação do processamento de leitura de palavras

“…Porém, no Brasil, as publicações enfocando os estudos no paradigma de priming, mesmo não restritos ao contexto do processamento de leitura, são escassas (Azevedo, Squella & Ribeiro-do-Valle, 2001;Busnello, 2007;Carreiro, Haddad Júnior & Baldo, 2003;DelFava & Ribeiro-do-Valle, 2004;Macedo, 2003;Oliveira, 2001;Oliveira & Janczura, 2004;Pompéia & Bueno, 2006;Pompéia, Paes & Bueno, 2003;Rosin, 2001Rosin, , 2004Squella & Ribeiro-do-Valle, 2003), conforme pesquisa feita nas bases de dados Scielo e LILACS, com a palavra-chave "priming".…”