Loading...
15 results
Search Results
Now showing 1 - 10 of 15
- Meta-analysis of social presence effects on stroop task performancePublication . Garcia-Marques, Teresa; Fernandes, AlexandreIn this paper, we conducted a meta-analytic review to examine the impact of social presence on individuals’ performance on the Stroop task, shedding light on the cognitive processes underlying social facilitation. We followed PRISMA guidelines to identify and include 33 relevant studies in a multivariate random-effects meta-analysis. Our results show that social presence reliably modulates Stroop interference (a measure of cognitive control); specifically, participants exhibit lower Stroop interference when performing the task in the presence of others compared to performing it in isolation. We also found that the strength of the effect varies depending on the type of social presence: it is stronger with an attentive audience compared to an inattentive one, and null with an evaluative audience. Additionally, different features of the Stroop task itself moderate the effect; the effect is stronger for the classic version of the task compared to the semantic version, and for experiments that use mixed within-block trials compared to those with homogenous blocks. We also observed a negative relationship between the number of trials and the magnitude of the effect. Overall, these findings provide insights into the mechanisms by which the presence of others affects performance on the Stroop task, and how they align with social facilitation theories.
- Deontic signs increase control monitoring: Evidence from a modified traffic flanker taskPublication . Garcia-Marques, Teresa; Figueira, Pedro; Fernandes, Alexandre; Martins, JoãoDeontic norms are expected to impose individuals’ control over their behavior. In this paper, we address such norms presented in trafc signs and test their infuence over executive control functions. For Experiment 1, we develop a trafc fanker task in which the typical neutral arrows are replaced with trafc prohibition/obligation signs. Experiment 2 isolated the deontic aspect of the signs using simple arrows on red, blue, and green backgrounds and either primed them to be interpreted as trafc signs or as elements of a gaming console controller. Results in both studies show evidence of controlling context interferences more efciently when dealing with deontic (trafc) signs than with simple arrows (Experiment 1) or with similar perceptive targets when primed with a deontic context than with a gaming context (Experiment 2). In both studies, obligation/blue signs mitigate fanker efects less than prohibition/red signs. Stimuli color afects the alertness of the cognitive system, with the color red being, by itself, a cue for increased control. Based on temporal analysis, we further discuss these results as evidence of an increase in proactive control that aims to prevent the occurrence of undesirable infuence.
- Easy to process, hard to control: Transient and sustained processing fluency impairs cognitive control adjustments to conflictPublication . Oliveira, Gonçalo A; Remondes, Miguel; Garcia-Marques, TeresaRecent research suggests that the cognitive monitoring system of control could be using negative affective cues intrinsic to changes in information processing to initiate top-down regulatory mechanisms. Here, we propose that positive feelings of ease-of-processing could be picked up by the monitoring system as a cue indicating that control is not necessary, leading to maladaptive control adjustments. We simultaneously target control adjustments driven by task context and on a trial-by-trial level, macro-, and micro-adjustments. This hypothesis was tested using a Stroop-like task comprised trials varying in congruence and perceptual fluency. A pseudo randomisation procedure within different proportion of congruence conditions was used to maximise discrepancy and fluency effects. Results suggest that in a mostly congruent context participants committed more fast errors when incongruent trials were easy-to-read. Moreover, within the mostly incongruent condition, we also found more errors on incongruent trials after experiencing the facilitation effect of repeated congruent trials. These results suggest that transient and sustained feelings of processing fluency can downregulate control mechanisms, leading to failed adaptive adjustments to conflict
- More than meets the gut: A prototype analysis of the lay conceptions of intuition and analysisPublication . Loureiro, Filipe; Garcia-Marques, Teresa; Wegener, Duane T.Using a prototype approach, we assessed people’s lay conceptions of intuition and analysis. Open-ended descriptions of intuition and analysis were generated by participants (Study 1) and resulting exemplars were sorted into features subsequently rated in centrality by independent participants (Study 2). Feature centrality was validated by showing that participants were quicker and more accurate in classifying central (as compared to peripheral) features (Study 3). Centrality ratings suggested a single-factor structure describing analysis but revealed that participants held lay conceptions of intuition as involving two different types of processes: (1) as an automatic, affective, and non-logical processing, and (2) as a holistic processing that can assist in problem-solving. Additional analyses showed that the centrality ratings of intuition’s facets were predicted by participants’ self-reported intuitive style, suggesting intuition is differently perceived by intuitive and non-intuitive people. We discuss the implications of these results for the study of intuition and analysis.
- Supplemental material for a meta-analytical review of the familiarity temporal effect : testing assumptions of the attentional and the fluency-attributional accountsPublication . Fernandes, Alexandre C.; Garcia-Marques, TeresaThe current meta-analysis accumulates empirical findings for the familiarity temporal effect (FTE) in duration judgments (the duration of more familiar stimuli is judged to be longer than that of less familiar stimuli). It brings together data from 2 separate literatures: time perception and processing fluency. In doing so, this review offers more and stronger evidence for testing the reliability of the effect; it defines the relevant moderators for addressing the validity of the 2 main explanations for the FTE: the attentional and the fluency-attributional hypotheses. The analysis (random effect model) of a total of 128 experiments (N 3,338) showed that the effect of familiarity on perceived short durations (seconds) is highly reliable (g .52); the same (or a similar) effect also occurs for other fluency manipulations (g .51). The analysis supports assumptions generated by both the attentional and the fluency-misattributional explanations, suggesting that more research is needed to understand their possible dynamic relationship. Hence, this meta-analysis provides important guidance for future research with regard to time estimates. Public Significance Statement The present meta-analysis reviews evidence showing that more familiar stimuli are judged to have a longer duration than less familiar stimuli, showing this effect to have high reliability. In doing so, it brings together evidence provided by two separate literatures, time perception and processing fluency, to confront two alternative explanations: a) familiarity frees attentional resources to the temporal features of the stimulus, or b) the ease with which the stimulus is processed influences its perceived duration. Results support assumptions generated by both explanations, and future research should address how they relate.
- Perceptual anchoring effects: Evidence of response bias and a change in estimates sensitivityPublication . Garcia-Marques, Teresa; Fernandes, AlexandreIntroduction: People’s estimates of perceptual quantities are commonly biased by the contextual presence of other quantities (like numbers). In this study, we address assimilation anchoring effects (approximation of real quantities to contextual quantities) that occur for visually displayed proportions, defining a new methodological setting for the effect. Method: Similar to classic approaches, we asked participants across several trials whether the display contained a feature in a proportion higher or lower than “a randomly selected value” (relative judgments), and then estimated the feature proportions (absolute judgments). Across all trials, we presented seven anchors ranging from .20 to .80, each with a visually displayed representation of the same seven proportions (49 judgments in total). This allowed for a psychophysical approach to individual estimates and signal detection indexes, providing new insights into how the anchoring effect is generated in this setting. Results: Our findings suggest that anchoring effects occur both as a bias (changes in response criteria) and as a change in the ability to discriminate stimuli (affecting sensitivity indexes). Moreover, anchors modulate the level of stimuli features for which estimates were more uncertain. Finally, our results indicate that anchor effects occur immediately in the first phase of the two-phase paradigm, leading to the availability of values for supporting absolute estimates. Conclusion: By using a psychophysical approach to the anchoring effects, for the first time, we could clarify that this effect is the result of both bias and changes in the ability to discriminate quantity
- Valence word processing in preference vs. lexical decision tasks : insights from muscle blocking proceduresPublication . Oliveira, Gonçalo Aires; Domingos, Ana; Garcia-Marques, TeresaAbstract: Processing is oriented by goals that determine the details of the stimuli to be attended. Previous studies claim that the determination of word valence (neutral, positive, or negative) is prioritized at early processing stages. This effect of immediate processing of affective information is supported by behavioral and psychophysiological evidence. Here we address this primacy of affect hypothesis in word processing by performing different blocking procedures on the facial muscles relevant for processing the affective dimension of the stimuli on preference (Experiment 1) and lexical decision tasks (Experiment 2). The results show that not only evaluative judgments were disturbed by blocking procedures, but that the same result occurred when the affective information was irrelevant to the task. Evidence shows similar interference from blocking facial muscle activity on affective word processing in both experiments, with procedures that immobilize the zygomatic muscle having a greater impact on the processing of positive words. We discuss the informative role of demonstrating these effects as occurring regardless of the processing goal, highlighting different patterns associated with the various blocking procedures.
- Norms for 150 consumer products: Perceived complexity, quality objectivity, material/experiential nature, perceived price, familiarity and attitudePublication . Loureiro, Filipe; Garcia-Marques, Teresa; Wegener, RebekahConsumer products are widely used as stimuli across several research fields. The use of consumer products as experimental stimuli lacks, however, the support of normative data regarding product features variability. In this work, we provide a first set of norms for people's perceptions of 150 consumer products regarding six relevant dimensions: product perceived complexity, quality objectivity, material/experiential nature, perceived price, familiarity and attitude. Products available in this normative database showed good overall distribution across the range of the dimensions evaluated. Obtained correlations between some of these dimensions provided evidence of how they can be confounded across products, further justifying the need to control for these dimensions. These norms should aid future research by allowing researchers to select products according to specific attributes and achieve appropriate experimental control. The norms here provided should also aid consumer behavior practitioners (such as marketers and advertisers) by providing insights as to how consumers perceive products along relevant dimensions.
- A standardised set of images for judgements of proportionPublication . Varatojo, Sara; Lavradio, Leonor; Fernandes, Alexandre; Garcia-Marques, TeresaIn the present work, we present normative data for a set of 39 original clipart-style images that can be used as material in studies involving judgements of proportion. The original images are drawings that depict different day-to-day scenarios (e.g., lighted windows in a building; books on a shelf) and each has seven variants of different proportions (from 20% to 80%) belonging to different categories (discrete vs continuous; social vs non-social; natural vs artificial; stimuli physical dimensions; number of referents). Normative data for these images are presented in an interactive database (available at https:// judgment- images- and- norms. shiny apps. io/ estimates_ inter active/), corresponding to the means of proportion estimates (in percentage form), the perceived ease of making such estimates, the perceived level of familiarity and liking for each image, and the relationships between these variables. In the paper, we analyse the data at an individual level, addressing how the latter judgements are related to the proportion estimates, how those estimates are related to objective proportions, and how these relationships are moderated by image category. The analyses presented in this paper aim to aid readers in selecting images that enable them to better address specific influences on proportional estimates or to control for those influences in their studies.
- A Cognitive toolbox for persuasion. Perceived diagnosticity and persuasibility bias of persuasive featuresPublication . Garcia-Marques, Teresa; Loureiro, FilipePersuasive features such as argument quality, source expertise, support, affect, consensus, source likability, and source attractiveness are linked to mental rules that vary in their reliability in supporting the persuasive process. We address these features as cognitive tools available to support judgments, investigating their self-other perceived diagnosticity and persuasibility, and using self-other differences as an index of perceived bias. Results show that participants explicitly consider argument quality, source expertise, and support (number of arguments) as diagnostic of the validity of a claim. Such diagnosticity predicted perceived persuasibility, and self-other differences linked non-diagnostic features to bias. We further discuss the relevance of these findings for a more comprehensive understanding of the cognitive toolbox that supports persuasive influences.