Choosing among different options is costly. Typically, response times are slower if participants can choose between several alternatives (free-choice) compared to when a stimulus determines a single correct response (forced-choice). This performance difference is commonly attributed to additional cognitive processing in free-choice tasks, which require time-consuming decisions between response options. Alternatively, the forced-choice advantage might result from facilitated perceptual processing, a prediction derived from the framework of implementation intentions. This hypothesis was tested in three experiments. Experiments 1 and 2 were PRP experiments and showed the expected underadditive interaction of the SOA manipulation and task type, pointing to a pre-central perceptual origin of the performance difference. Using the additive-factors logic, Experiment 3 further supported this view. We discuss the findings in the light of alternative accounts and offer potential mechanisms underlying performance differences in forced- and free-choice tasks.
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The benefit of no choice: goal-directed plans enhance perceptual processing
Auteurs:
Markus Janczyk Michael Dambacher Maik Bieleke Peter M. Gollwitzer
Publicatiedatum
01-03-2015
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00426-014-0549-5
Uitgeverij
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Tijdschrift
Psychological Research
An International Journal of Perception, Attention, Memory, and Action
Uitgave 2/2015
Print ISSN: 0340-0727
Elektronisch ISSN: 1430-2772