Within- and between-hand correspondence effects for objects with protruding left and right components

Dongbin Cho, Purdue University

Abstract

Responses are typically faster if the location of a graspable part of an object (e.g., frying pan handle), even when irrelevant to a task, is compatible with the location of a keypress response than if it is not, a phenomenon called the object-based Simon effect. Consistent with a relative location coding account, Cho and Proctor (in press) showed that when the relevant dimension was stimulus color or orientation, the Simon effects for irrelevant dimensions of stimulus location and side of a frying pan handle were of similar size when keypress responses were made with fingers on the same hand (within-hand) or different hands (between-hands). However, consistent with a grasping affordance account, other studies have found the object-based Simon effect to be absent for within-hand responses (Tucker & Ellis, 1998) and between-hand responses in color judgment tasks (Tipper, Paul, & Hayes, 2006). To resolve these conflicting results, the present study examined within- and between-hand Simon effects for graspable objects using a teapot as a stimulus with or without the action-related orientation judgment. The teapot differs from the frying pan and door handle in that the most spatially distinct part attached to the main body, the spout, is to a side opposite that of the graspable handle. Experiment 1 showed that the Simon effect for the teapot occurred in the direction of the spout location and was larger within than between hands. All color judgment conditions and within-hand response groups showed significant object-based Simon effects, which is contrary to the grasping affordance accounts. Experiments 2 (which used a detached-handle teapot) and 3 (which used a detached-spout teapot) showed separate contributions of the spout and handle to the Simon effect that were of similar size within and between hands. The larger within- than between-hand Simon effect in Experiment 1 apparently is due to the two relative location components, which are spout and handle, were counter each other in opposing direction. To confirm this two location-components hypothesis, the grasping affordance account should be ruled out. The present findings provide evidence that relative location of both spout and handle determine the object-based Simon effect for key press responses.

Degree

M.S.

Advisors

Proctor, Purdue University.

Subject Area

Cognitive psychology

COinS