Stroop Effect free essay sample

CogLab Report Stroop Effect CogLab Report The Stroop effect is a test that demonstrates a decrease in reaction time that occurs when the brain receives conflicting information. When sensory information conflicts, a processing delay occurs in the brain; this is interference. If a specific color is paired with its corresponding word then those two pieces of information are compatible. If the information conflicts then the individual is forced to make a decision. It is hypothesized that reaction times will be lower when the word and font color are the same and reaction times will increase when the word and font color are different. Method Participants A total of 20 undergraduate students participated in this experiment; 18 were women and 2 were men. Materials Students used CogLab, an online laboratory used as part of a cognitive psychology class, to complete the Stroop Effect task. Procedure Participants were asked to identify the color of each word as quickly as possible. Stroop effect and reading process Stroop effect is one of the most used indicator tests in investigating the efficiency of mental processes that confine action, emotion or thought (Bioulac et al. , 2005). Stroop effect is described as a test to further understand human perception which involves the automatic and the controlled mental processes (Shabazz, 2010). Stroop task is usually directed with two different conditions, the first one (congruent) is where participants are presented with a list of color names printed in ink color that it corresponds, and the second condition (incongruent) which incorporates a list of color names that does not agree with its ink color. In both condition, participants are ask to report the ink color used to print the color names (Bioulac et al. , 2005). Interference is found in both condition but with a greater magnitude in the condition where words or color names do not agree with the ink color (Bioulac et al. , 2005). Related to this is the reversed Stroop effect that requires participants to report the printed word rather than the ink color that produces which also produced interference but wilt a lower level than the classical Stroop effect (Au, E. Chen, R. Chen, Wong, 2000). Many researches pointed out automatic processes as the primary cause of Stroop effect (Aisenberg, Goldfarb, Henik, 2011; Bioulac et al. , 2005; Juvina Taatgen, 2009; Shabazz, 2010). Automatic processes is described as the thinking which is unintended, indirect or unaware that suggests unconsciously performing task beyond what is required to do, which supports the cause of automatic reading of words in a color-naming task (Aisenberg, Goldfarb, Henik, 2011; Shabazz, 2010). Cattell (1886) and Fraisse (1969) further proposed that it is more automatic to read words than to name certain color (as cited in Juvina Taatgen, 2009). A research by Shabazz (2010) also supports the conclusion that individuals are faster in recognizing the color and reading the color names than reporting the color of the ink used. Researches regarding stroop effect is essential for further and more in-depth understanding of human perception and also seeking to provide more information to further investigate and contributes to existing knowledge regarding Stroop effect and its future applications for human development. Many researches already used Stroop task to investigate different ideas such as the study about cognitive control that is said to be fundamental to interference resolution (Juvina Taatgen, 2009). Stroop task also became applicable in investigating attention bias of individuals to their own interest (Franken, Sayette, Schwartz, Waters, 2004). The present study is a replication of the research by Stroop (1935). In which the researchers faced with an inquiry of how the word stimuli (color name) interfere with the identification of the ink color of the word, and also how the ink color of the word affects the reading of the color name. The researchers hypothesized that individuals can name ink color faster if it corresponds to the same name color that when it is not. The response time between two conditions – congruent and incongruent – are measured to test whether congruency between color name and ink color results to a faster naming of color. Method Participants The participants of the study were two senior BASS Psychology students and 28 B. A Psychology sophomore students of University of the Philippines in the Visayas Tacloban College with ages ranging from 17-21 years old, 4 of which were male and 26 were female. Materials Materials used in the experiment were experimental instructions, congruent list (annex A), incongruent list (annex A) and data sheet. Procedure The experiment was divided into two sets. The first set was a condition wherein congruent color names and ink color were presented first before the incongruent set of words. In the second set, the first set of words presented was incongruent, followed by the congruent list of words. The experiment was conducted inside the Psych laboratory of the University of the Philippines Eastern Visayas Tacloban College. Assignment of which among the participants would be on the first set or second set was decided through count off. After the count off, all the participants inside the psych laboratory were told to stay at the DMX and wait for their names to be called by one of the experimenters. Two participants were called in every now and then. One of which was someone who was assigned to the first condition or first set, while the other participant was from the second set. There were three experimenters, two of which were the ones who conducted the exam and the third one was the person responsible for calling in the next participants of the experiment. Between the two examiners, each of them was assigned in conducting either of the two conditions and each of the experimenter has their own copy of the congruent and incongruent lists and manuscript of the procedure. The instructions that they gave to the participants were also from the same manuscript and were read at the same time. After the experimenter was assured that their participant has understood the instruction given and both him/her and the participants were ready to begin, they then commenced the test. Each participant has to read the set of words listed in the congruent or incongruent list given to them. In the congruent list of words, the participant was told to read the color names. On the other hand, in the incongruent list, the participant was told to name the ink color of the words. The length of time that the participant spent in reading was recorded by the experimenter. The experimenter spoke out the word â€Å"Go! † as a mark that the participant was already allowed to begin reading the words, while participants had to say â€Å"done! † right after they had finished reading the list to notify the experimenter that he/she has ended the first test. The experimenter then recorded the time duration right away on the line at the bottom of the data sheet. The same procedure was followed for the second test. Various measures were carried out by the experimenter to maintain control in the experiment and to ensure that only the IV would affect the DV of the experiment. The purpose of saying the words â€Å"Go† and â€Å"Done† were for helping the experimenter to correctly jot down the correct length of time the reading process of the participant has taken in each set of words, be it in Incongruent list or Congruent list. Reading of the same instruction to each participant was also to make sure that there would be no other factors that would intervene in the performance of the participant or having unnecessary disturbances in the flow of the experiment, which could influence the reliability of the result or data gathered. Research Design The research design used is Within-subjects design. Variables The independent variable of the experiment was congruence of color names and ink colors. Levels of IV were congruent color names and ink color and incongruent color names and ink color. The Dependent variable was reading speed which was measured in seconds using stopwatch. Extraneous variables controls were random assignment of participants, the distance between the locations of the two experimenters to avoid disturbance during the experiment, synchronized reading of the instructions and the use of counterbalancing. Data Analysis