Effects of time and event uncertainty upon sequential information processing

Ira H. Bernstein; R. Randolph Blake; Michael H. Hughes

doi:10.3758/BF03212725

Effects of time and event uncertainty upon sequential information processing

Ira H. Bernstein, R. Randolph Blake, Michael H. Hughes

Clinical Sciences

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

4 Scopus citations

Abstract

Two experiments were conducted to investigate the psychological refractory period (PRP), a delay induced into the second of two reaction times (RT) when the interstimulus interval (ISI) is short. In Experiment 1, time and event uncertainty were factorially varied by providing or not providing S with foreknowledge of the ISI and the order in which the two events would occur, respectively. ISIs of 0, 50, 100, 200, and 400 msec were used. Time and event uncertainty produced independent degradation of both RTs. Also, the second RT (RT ₂) was delayed at 50 msec ISI when both time and event certainty were present. Experiment 2 attempted to replicate this latter finding using ISIs of 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100 msec. Delays in RT ₂ were found for the middle three values of ISI. These results were interpreted as supporting a modified single channel theory of the PRP.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	177-184
Number of pages	8
Journal	Perception & Psychophysics
Volume	3
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03212725
State	Published - May 1968

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
Sensory Systems
General Psychology

Access to Document

10.3758/BF03212725

Cite this

@article{58a589724a964d42a2e85fa65226866c,

title = "Effects of time and event uncertainty upon sequential information processing",

abstract = "Two experiments were conducted to investigate the psychological refractory period (PRP), a delay induced into the second of two reaction times (RT) when the interstimulus interval (ISI) is short. In Experiment 1, time and event uncertainty were factorially varied by providing or not providing S with foreknowledge of the ISI and the order in which the two events would occur, respectively. ISIs of 0, 50, 100, 200, and 400 msec were used. Time and event uncertainty produced independent degradation of both RTs. Also, the second RT (RT 2) was delayed at 50 msec ISI when both time and event certainty were present. Experiment 2 attempted to replicate this latter finding using ISIs of 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100 msec. Delays in RT 2 were found for the middle three values of ISI. These results were interpreted as supporting a modified single channel theory of the PRP.",

author = "Bernstein, {Ira H.} and Blake, {R. Randolph} and Hughes, {Michael H.}",

year = "1968",

month = may,

doi = "10.3758/BF03212725",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "3",

pages = "177--184",

journal = "Perception & Psychophysics",

issn = "0031-5117",

publisher = "Springer New York",

number = "3",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Effects of time and event uncertainty upon sequential information processing

AU - Bernstein, Ira H.

AU - Blake, R. Randolph

AU - Hughes, Michael H.

PY - 1968/5

Y1 - 1968/5

N2 - Two experiments were conducted to investigate the psychological refractory period (PRP), a delay induced into the second of two reaction times (RT) when the interstimulus interval (ISI) is short. In Experiment 1, time and event uncertainty were factorially varied by providing or not providing S with foreknowledge of the ISI and the order in which the two events would occur, respectively. ISIs of 0, 50, 100, 200, and 400 msec were used. Time and event uncertainty produced independent degradation of both RTs. Also, the second RT (RT 2) was delayed at 50 msec ISI when both time and event certainty were present. Experiment 2 attempted to replicate this latter finding using ISIs of 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100 msec. Delays in RT 2 were found for the middle three values of ISI. These results were interpreted as supporting a modified single channel theory of the PRP.

AB - Two experiments were conducted to investigate the psychological refractory period (PRP), a delay induced into the second of two reaction times (RT) when the interstimulus interval (ISI) is short. In Experiment 1, time and event uncertainty were factorially varied by providing or not providing S with foreknowledge of the ISI and the order in which the two events would occur, respectively. ISIs of 0, 50, 100, 200, and 400 msec were used. Time and event uncertainty produced independent degradation of both RTs. Also, the second RT (RT 2) was delayed at 50 msec ISI when both time and event certainty were present. Experiment 2 attempted to replicate this latter finding using ISIs of 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100 msec. Delays in RT 2 were found for the middle three values of ISI. These results were interpreted as supporting a modified single channel theory of the PRP.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84864889491&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84864889491&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.3758/BF03212725

DO - 10.3758/BF03212725

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:84864889491

SN - 0031-5117

VL - 3

SP - 177

EP - 184

JO - Perception & Psychophysics

JF - Perception & Psychophysics

IS - 3

ER -

Effects of time and event uncertainty upon sequential information processing

Abstract

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this