Abstract
The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that an increase in the number of alternatives in the choice reaction time task would lengthen the reaction time in the inunediately preceding simple reaction time task because of higher attentional preparation demand. The simple reaction time task involved an auditory click and was performed between the warning light and the visual choice reaction time task. The hypothesis was confirmed. The increase in simple reaction time as a function of information load of the subsequent choice reaction time task was explained in terms of an increased amount of conunitment of limited-capacity attentional system and was interpreted as signifying that there is at least partial parallel processing of the two tasks. The relation of these results to some recent data on the effect of expectancy and limited-capacity short-term memory was discussed.
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Kovesdi, J.E., Slak, S. Simple reaction time as a function of preparation for a subsequent choice reaction time task. Bull. Psychon. Soc. 20, 45–47 (1982). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03334798
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03334798