EFFICIENCY OF VERBAL VERSUS MOTOR RESPONSES IN HANDLING INFORMATION ENCODED BY MEANS OF COLORS AND LIGHT PATTERNS

摘要

This study Was undertaken for two purposes: (a) to compare the relative compatibility of verbal vs. motor responses to different types of visual stimuli, and (b) to determine the effect of verbalization as a factor affecting the ability to transfer from one type of response v to the other. Reaction-time data and data on information-handling rates are reported for four experimental and four control groups that made verbal (number-naming) and motor (key-pressing) responses to spa¬tial and to color symbols.nThe major findings were as follows: (a) Performance with ten lights as symbols was greatly superior to performance with ten color symbols, (b) With color symbols, verbal and motor responses were equally compatible, (c) With spatial symbols, motor responses were superior to verbal responses, (d) In general, transfer from verbal to motor responses was easier than transfer from motor to verbal re¬sponses.nThese results are discussed in relation to the general concept of stimulus-response compatibility, and several hypotheses for explaining the results are advanced.