Target RT decreases as between-letter spacing increases, and the noise-condition effect is greatest at the closest spacing (Noise Condition by Spacing interaction)¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · causal r1 · q3
Currency · newest study 1974 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q3 i? All five noise conditions showed decreasing RT as separation between display letters increased from .06 to 1 deg of visual angle, with condition differences greatest at the closest spacing. → Eriksen 1974

Evidence¶

Eriksen 1974¶

Eriksen, B. A., & Eriksen, C. W. (1974). Effects of noise letters upon the identification of a target letter in a nonsearch task. Perception & Psychophysics, 16(1), 143-149. https://doi.org/10.3758/bf03203267

q3 · i? · causal · r1

Three-way ANOVA (Ss by Spacing by Noise Conditions) on RT data from six subjects. Spacing and noise effects were both significant beyond the .0001 level, and there was also a significant Noise Condition by Spacing interaction [F(8,40) = 16.08].

"The effects for spacing and noise conditions were both significant beyond the .0001 level with Fs of 58.28, df = 2,10, and F = 28.23, df = 4,20, respectively."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Target-alone RT is approximately 30 msec faster in blocked no-noise trials than in trials intermixed with noise conditions, indicating a preparatory inhibitory set — related
• Error data mirror the RT findings: opposite-response-set noise caused far more errors at the two closest spacings — a narrower finding that bears on this claim
• Response-incompatible flanking noise letters impair target reaction time significantly more than response-compatible noise in a nonsearch task — related
• Heterogeneous noise letters with set-related features produce intermediate RT impairment, consistent with stimulus generalization at wider spacings — related