The Effect of Verbal and Spatial Task Instructions on the Coding of Number-Space Interactions

Abstract

Abstract: The present study adopted parity judgment task with Arabic digits 1 to 9 (expect 5) and Chinese characters (e.g., “左” and “右”) as experimental materials to explore the effect of task instructions on the coding of number-space interactions. The results showed that the interaction between word congruence and physical congruence was significant in the verbal task instruction. In addition, neither of the word consistency nor inconsistency triggered the SNARC effect, indicating that verbal-spatial coding is more advantageous. But in the spatial task instruction, there was a main effect of physical consistency, and SNARC effect was shown in both word consistent and word inconsistent conditions, indicating that visual spatial coding is more advantageous. Taken together, whether participants used visual spatial coding or verbal-spatial coding to associate numbers with space depending on task instructions, showing the effect of task instructions on number-space interactions.

Key words: visual spatial coding, verbal-spatial coding, task instruction, number-space interactions, SNARC effect

摘要： 以1～9除5外的阿拉伯数字和汉字标签“左”“右”为实验材料，采用数字奇偶判断任务，探讨任务指令对数字-空间联结编码的影响。结果发现：言语任务指令条件下，词语一致性与物理一致性的交互作用显著，且词语一致和不一致时均未发现空间-数字联合反应编码效应（SNARC），表明言语-空间编码在数字-空间联结中更有优势；空间任务指令条件下，物理一致性主效应显著，且词语一致和不一致时均出现了SNARC效应，表明视觉空间编码更有优势。说明数字-空间联结编码受实验任务指令的影响，被试会根据任务指令设置的情景选择视觉空间编码或言语-空间编码对数字进行空间联结。

关键词: 视觉空间编码, 言语-空间编码, 任务指令, 数字-空间联结, SNARC效应

CLC Number:

B842

PAN Yun, ZHAO Zhujun, DAI Longnong. The Effect of Verbal and Spatial Task Instructions on the Coding of Number-Space Interactions[J]. Studies of Psychology and Behavior, 2020, 18(6): 734-740.

潘运, 赵竹君, 戴隆农. 言语与空间任务指令对数字-空间联结编码的影响[J]. 心理与行为研究, 2020, 18(6): 734-740.

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