Choice Reaction Time to Single Digits, Spelled Numbers, “Right” and “Wrong” Arithmetic Problems and Short Sentences

Abstract

Average RT to single number stimuli were found to differ significantly, with the shorter RTs being evoked by 1, 2, 6, and 9. The relationship was most marked when the numbers were presented visually as digits but held also when the numbers were printed as words. RT for classification of simple three-digit addition and subtraction problems as correctly or incorrectly added or subtracted was shortest for correct additions and about equal for incorrect additions and correct and incorrect subtractions, implying a difference in processing of these forms of information. Similarly, dubitably false sentences were more slowly classified as “true” or “false” than were indubitably false sentences and either dubitably or indubitably true sentences.