Simple Reaction Time and Response Sets

Abstract

This study was concerned with the effects of induced response inhibition on simple visual reaction time. Ten Ss were confronted with up to four response alternatives (fingers of the right hand), one of which was the required response. Each of these responses was associated with a specific stimulus. Three response ensemble conditions were used: I—within a block of trials only one light appeared, II—within a block of trials one of two possible lights appeared, III—within a block of trials one of the four possible lights appeared. Under all conditions Ss were given more than adequate time to extract the appropriate response from the remaining responses in the ensemble prior to the time that they were required to make the response. A significant interaction was found between the individual responses and response ensembles. These results were explained in terms of the contextual effects of the unused responses within the different ensemble conditions. Additional data indicated that these effects reflect a spatial relationship to responses being measured. Unused responses that are more proximal to the measured response depress the reactions to that response as compared to unused responses that are more distant.