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Non-intentional but not automatic: reduction of word- and arrow-based compatibility effects by sound distractors in the same categorical domain

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Abstract

In the current study, we show that the non-intentional processing of visually presented words and symbols can be attenuated by sounds. Importantly, this attenuation is dependent on the similarity in categorical domain between the sounds and words or symbols. Participants performed a task in which left or right responses were made contingent on the color of a centrally presented target that was either a location word (LEFT or RIGHT) or a left or right arrow. Responses were faster when they were on the side congruent with the word or arrow. This bias was reduced for location words by a neutral spoken word and for arrows by a tone series, but not vice versa. We suggest that words and symbols are processed with minimal attentional requirements until they are categorized into specific knowledge domains, but then become sensitive to other information within the same domain regardless of the similarity between modalities.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychological Sciences, Purdue University, 703 Third St, W. Lafayette, IN, 47907-2081, USA

    James D. Miles & Robert W. Proctor

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  1. James D. Miles
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  2. Robert W. Proctor
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Correspondence to James D. Miles.

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Author’s note

The research described in the present paper was supported in part by MURI Grant W911NF-05-1-0153 from the Army Research Office. Correspondence should be addressed to James Miles, Department of Psychological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907-1364 (e-mail: jmiles@purdue.edu).

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Miles, J.D., Proctor, R.W. Non-intentional but not automatic: reduction of word- and arrow-based compatibility effects by sound distractors in the same categorical domain. Exp Brain Res 199, 101–106 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-009-1975-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-009-1975-2

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