Research article summary (published 26 Dec 2006):

No difference between conscious and nonconscious visuomotor control: evidence from perceptual learning in the masked prime task.

Full Abstract

Negative compatibility effects (NCEs) in the masked-prime paradigm are usually obtained when primes are masked effectively. With ineffective masks-and primes above the perceptual threshold-positive compatibility effects (PCEs) occur. We investigated whether this pattern reflects a causal relationship between conscious awareness and low-level motor control, or whether it reflects the fact that both are affected in the same way by changes in physical stimulus attributes. In a 5-session perceptual learning task, participants learned to consciously identify masked primes. However, they showed unaltered NCEs that were not different from those produced by participants in a control group without equivalent perceptual learning. A control experiment demonstrated that no NCEs occur when prime identification is made possible by ineffective masking. The results suggest that perceptual awareness and low-level motor control are affected by the same factors, but are fundamentally independent of each other.

Author information

Author/s: Schlaghecken, Friederike (F); Blagrove, Elisabeth (E); Maylor, Elizabeth A (EA);

Affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK. f.schlaghecken(-atsign-)warwick.ac.uk

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Randomized Controlled Trial; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Consciousness and cognition (Conscious Cogn), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2008-Mar; vol 17 (issue 1) : pp 84-93

Dates: Created 2008/03/24; Completed 2008/04/16;

PMID: 17196397, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 2/18/2009, IMS Date: )

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adolescent Adult Analysis of Variance Awareness Female Humans Learning

Male Perceptual Masking Psychomotor Performance Reaction Time Subliminal Stimulation Time Factors Visual Perception

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