Abstract
A temporal gap between fixation point offset and stimulus onset typically yields shorter saccadic latencies to the stimulus than if the fixation stimulus remained on. Several researchers have explored the extent to which this gap also reduces latencies of other responses but have failed to find a gap effect isolated from general warning effects. Experiment 1, however, showed a robust gap effect for aimed hand movements (which required determination of a precise spatial location), regardless of whether the hand moved alone or was accompanied by a saccadic eye movement. Experiment 2 replicated this aimed hand gap effect and also showed a smaller effect for choice manual keypress responses (which required determination of the direction of response only). Experiment 3 showed no gap effect for simple manual keypress responses (which required no spatial determination). The results are consistent with an interpretation of the gap effect in terms of facilitation of spatially oriented responses.
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This research was supported by Grant R29-MH45145 from the National Institutes of Health to R. A. A. and funding provided by the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO) and the Foundation “De Drie Lichten” in the Netherlands to H. B.
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Bekkering, H., Pratt, J. & Abrams, R.A. The gap effect for eye and hand movements. Perception & Psychophysics 58, 628–635 (1996). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03213095
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03213095