TY - JOUR
T1 - A simon effect for threat-related stimulus content
AU - Schrooten, M.
AU - Smulders, F.T.Y.
PY - 2007/1/1
Y1 - 2007/1/1
N2 - When a threat-related stimulus is preferentially processed, it may act as if it is presented alone, and thus trigger processes comparable with the effects elicited by 4 single stimulus. Peripheral stimuli are known to yield a Simon effect: faster responses when stimulus and response spatially correspond than when not. We designed a task during which a threat-related (physical threat, social threat, or height) word is presented with a neutral word (14 or 500 ms, masked), one above the other, and spatial correspondence of threat-related word and response varies across trials. Undergraduates performed this task when exposed to height (N = 22) or in a tab (N = 25). The height group, compared to the control group, showed a content-specific Simon effect for physical-threat words. This result adds evidence to the hypothesis of preferential processing of relevant threat-related information.
AB - When a threat-related stimulus is preferentially processed, it may act as if it is presented alone, and thus trigger processes comparable with the effects elicited by 4 single stimulus. Peripheral stimuli are known to yield a Simon effect: faster responses when stimulus and response spatially correspond than when not. We designed a task during which a threat-related (physical threat, social threat, or height) word is presented with a neutral word (14 or 500 ms, masked), one above the other, and spatial correspondence of threat-related word and response varies across trials. Undergraduates performed this task when exposed to height (N = 22) or in a tab (N = 25). The height group, compared to the control group, showed a content-specific Simon effect for physical-threat words. This result adds evidence to the hypothesis of preferential processing of relevant threat-related information.
U2 - 10.1016/j.jbtep.2006.10.003
DO - 10.1016/j.jbtep.2006.10.003
M3 - Article
C2 - 17109814
SN - 0005-7916
VL - 38
SP - 121
EP - 132
JO - Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry
JF - Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry
IS - 2
ER -