Affective congruency effects in the Stroop task: Primary data and control programs.

Research Questions/Hypotheses:

Null hypotheses:
1. Affective congruence and associations exhibited equally strong priming effects in the Stroop test.
2 Associated primes did not increase the color time in the Stroop test.
3. Affective congruent primes increased the color time in the Stroop test.

Alternative hypotheses:
1. Following associated primes, stronger priming effects were found in the Stroop than after nonassociated but affectively congruent primes.
2. Associated primes increased the color time in the Stroop test.
3. Affective congruent primes increased the color time in Stroop test.

Research Design:

Experimental Design, Mixed Design, Laboratory Experiment; single measurements

Measurement Instruments/Apparatus:

Experiment 1: Material type (associated, valent), the priming factor (associated/congruent, not associated/incongruent, neutral), and the blocks (Block 1 vs Block 2). The priming and block factors were measured again. 6 conditions of these 2 factors were linked with 6 material sets and 6 samples within each condition of the factor material type for a balanced design. The presentation of color stimuli in the Stroop task was balanced by an additional control factor above and beyond the sampling. The study was conducted in individual sessions.
At the beginning, 20 sample runs were processed with the Stroop task and a further 8 runs with priming. After this a total of 96 experimental runs were performed. The test was carried out in 2 blocks with a break lasting for as long as each subject chose. In each trial run, the white prime word was presented against a black screen for 200 msec. After 100 msec, the target was presented (SOA = 300 msec). When colored red, green, yellow or blue the target remained on the view screen until it was named, though never longer than 5,000 msec. Answers were spoken into a microphone. 3,000 msec after answering, the next prime appeared. The entire experiment took about 10 minutes.

Experiment 2: The design included the priming, repeat-measure factor materials, and blocks. The order in which the 2 types of material were processed, were balanced across the sample (factor sequence). 2 male and 2 female subjects participated in the 12 condition combinations. Individual sessions were conducted. After the trial runs, the 2 sets of material were presented in 2 separate blocks broken up with a break. This yielded a total of 192 runs. An SOA of 500 msec was realized. 500 msec after naming the color of the target stimulus, “Read the first word …” appeared on the screen in white letters. 1000 msec after the word was read the next prime appeared. The whole experiment took about 15 minutes.
Ausführliche Angaben zum Experimentalaufbau finden sich bei Rothermund & Wentura (1998).

The following experimental controls were performed:

Randomization: random allocation of subjects to the between-subjects factors material type (Exp. 1) or material order (Exp. 2).

Balancing: Mapping of the experimental stimuli to the different conditions of the priming factor was balanced by a Latin square. The stimuli color in the Stroop task was balanced out by an additional control factor within the sample. In Experiment 2, effects of sequence in the processing of both task parts was balanced out by an additional control factor. Possible gender effects were controlled for by balancing subject gender (parallelization).

Detailed information on the experimental design can be found in Rothermund & Wentura (1998).

Data Collection Method:

Data collection in the presence of an experimente

• Individual Administration
• Computer-Supported
• Specialized Apparatuses or Measuring Instruments, for example
  Recording of spoken answers using a microphone connected to the test computer’s Sound Blaster-compatible sound card.

Population:

Survey Time Period:

Experiment 1: December 1996- June 1997
Experiment 2: January 1997

Sample:

Convenience sample

Gender Distribution:

52,9% female subjects (n=54)
47,1% male subjects (n=48)

Age Distribution: 19-44 years

Spatial Coverage (Country/Region/City): Germany/Rhineland-Palatinate/Trier

Subject Recruitment:

Participants were students at the University of Trier, primarily from the Department of Psychology.

Sample Size:

102 individuals (Exp. 1: 54, Exp. 2: 48)

Return/Drop Out: