Metacontrast inferred from reaction time and verbal report: Replication and comments on the Fehrer-Biederman experiment

Attempted to replicate E. Fehrer and I. Biederman's (see record) study which found that reaction time (RT) to a test stimulus followed by a mask stimulus was significantly more rapid than RT to a mask stimulus alone, even when Ss could not exceed chance in making a verbal discrimination between the 2 alternatives. The possibility that this finding is a statistical artifact because of the use of 2 tests of unequal power is noted. A similar experiment was performed using signal detection procedures to compare the accuracy of verbal report and RT directly, using 3 paid male graduate and undergraduate students and 1 of the authors as Ss. Results show that verbal report rather than RT was a more sensitive response index. Findings are discussed in relation to C. W. Eriksen's 1960 multiple concurrent response paradigm. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved).