Temporary activation of perceptual-motor associations: a stimulus-response interpretation of automaticity.

Full Abstract

Some types of automaticity can be attributed to simple stimulus-response associations (G. D. Logan, 1988). This can be studied with paradigms in which associations to an irrelevant stimulus automatically influence responding to a relevant stimulus. In 1 example, the irrelevant and relevant stimuli were presented successively with the 1st, irrelevant, stimulus masked. Although this stimulus was not phenomenally visible, it influenced responding to the 2nd, visible, stimulus. This influence was substantial only if associations to the 1st stimulus had been activated by recent responding (S. T. Klapp & B. W. Haas, 2005). These associations were not processed deeply; instead, they only relate specific stimuli to specific responses. Whereas these conclusions were demonstrated previously with masking so that participants were not aware of the irrelevant stimulus and thus had no basis to permit control of its influence, the present research demonstrated the same principles when all stimuli were visible. Furthermore, activation of the associations was not subject to substantial intentional control. These findings imply that association-based automaticity occurs independently of, and uninfluenced by, awareness. (c) 2009 APA, all rights reserved.

Author information

Author/s: Klapp, Stuart T (ST); Greenberg, Lisa A (LA);

Affiliation: Department of Psychology, California State University, East Bay, 25800 Carlos Bee Boulevard, Hayward, CA 94542, USA. stuart.klapp(-atsign-)csueastbay.edu

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article

Journal: Journal of experimental psychology. Learning, memory, and cognition (J Exp Psychol Learn Mem Cogn), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2009-Sep; vol 35 (issue 5) : pp 1266-85

Dates: Created 2009/08/18; Completed 2009/10/08;

PMID: 19686020, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 10/8/2009, IMS Date: )

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