The role of contingency and correlation in the Stroop task

Facilitation (faster responses to Congruent trials compared with Neutral trials) in the Stroop task has been a difficult effect for models of cognitive control explain. The current research investigated role word-response contingency, word-colour correlation, and proportion congruency producing effects. Contingency correlation refers probability specific pairings that are implicitly learnt while performing task. Pairs have higher occurring responded faster, finding challenges top-down attention accounts performance. However, studies try experimentally contingency typically do so by increasing incongruent task, which posit affects interference via biasing attention. present focused on whether facilitation is also affected additionally looking at congruency. This was done two experiments typical design (i.e., having equal proportions Incongruent but correlational biases) to: (a) had unequal no or bias (Experiment 1) (b) where biased were not 2). Results did support hypotheses facilitation. almost halved alternative Experiment 2, demonstrating an learning measures interference.