On the heterogeneity of negative priming effects.
Date
2003
Authors
Christie, John Joseph.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Dalhousie University
Abstract
Description
Negative priming from ignored distractors is a phenomenon that typically occurs when one processes the target and distractor on one trial (prime) and then is presented with the prime distractor as a target on the next trial (probe).
The current line of research was initially launched to investigate two hypotheses. One of these is that the various paradigms that are used to investigate negative priming from ignored distractors may not be tapping the same psychological mechanisms. The second is that it may be possible to isolate a particular paradigm where the negative priming is caused by a selective attention mechanism. In order to avoid confound and contingency problems all six of the possible prime and probe relationships were run, including the one typically used to measure negative priming. While puzzling over the best use for the data in the five extra conditions a pattern of performance was derived that can be interpreted as a signature of negative priming. The pattern uses the six related conditions and does not include the Control condition. There is a general consensus about this signature pattern, called the congruency principle here, among negative priming explanations. The congruency principle states that performance should worsen as the relationship becomes more incongruous (e.g., the distractor and target switch). And, it should improve as the relationship between prime and probe becomes more congruous (e,g., target and distractor both repeat).
The findings revealed that three of the most common paradigms for investigating negative priming, location, letter identity, and Stroop, probably have different causes. Furthermore, a biased version of the letter identity paradigm appears to have an attentional cause when measured using a subtraction from a Control condition. It was further found that, in the unbiased letter identification paradigm, negative priming could be measured using the congruency principle even though it was not present when measured using subtraction from the Control condition.
Negative priming is not homogeneous and sometimes it is caused by selective attention. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)
Thesis (Ph.D.)--Dalhousie University (Canada), 2003.
The current line of research was initially launched to investigate two hypotheses. One of these is that the various paradigms that are used to investigate negative priming from ignored distractors may not be tapping the same psychological mechanisms. The second is that it may be possible to isolate a particular paradigm where the negative priming is caused by a selective attention mechanism. In order to avoid confound and contingency problems all six of the possible prime and probe relationships were run, including the one typically used to measure negative priming. While puzzling over the best use for the data in the five extra conditions a pattern of performance was derived that can be interpreted as a signature of negative priming. The pattern uses the six related conditions and does not include the Control condition. There is a general consensus about this signature pattern, called the congruency principle here, among negative priming explanations. The congruency principle states that performance should worsen as the relationship becomes more incongruous (e.g., the distractor and target switch). And, it should improve as the relationship between prime and probe becomes more congruous (e,g., target and distractor both repeat).
The findings revealed that three of the most common paradigms for investigating negative priming, location, letter identity, and Stroop, probably have different causes. Furthermore, a biased version of the letter identity paradigm appears to have an attentional cause when measured using a subtraction from a Control condition. It was further found that, in the unbiased letter identification paradigm, negative priming could be measured using the congruency principle even though it was not present when measured using subtraction from the Control condition.
Negative priming is not homogeneous and sometimes it is caused by selective attention. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)
Thesis (Ph.D.)--Dalhousie University (Canada), 2003.
Keywords
Psychology, Experimental.