STEP: Studies of Interference in Serial Verbal Reactions [35306]

This article applies to:
E-Prime 3.0
E-Prime 1.0

 
Detail
Experiment Author: Susan Campbell. Adapted from STEP and used with permission of Brian MacWhinney
 
Experiment Description
This is the classic experiment where participants are presented with words printed in colors that do not match the colors of the words (for instance, the word "red" might be printed in green ink). They are then expected to name the color of the word rather than the word itself (in the above example, saying "green").

 
Experiment Instructions

In this experiment there are four variations to the Stroop task. The order of the variants is random. There are two sets of instructions. Both sets of instructions present tasks with different types of stimuli.

 

Task Instructions:

1. "Read the name of the color and ignore other information." One set of trials presents "@@@@@" In different colors. The other set of trials mixes colors with the names of colors and participants repeat the written name of the color

 

2. "Name the color of the item displayed, ignoring other information." One set of trials using this instruction only uses the color black and participants only repeat the name of the color. Another set of trials mixes colors and the names of colors. Participants repeat only color displayed and ignore the written name of the color. 

 

This experiment has 80 trials. Each type of task has 20 trials. 

Experiment Citation

Stroop, J.R. (1935). Studies of interference in serial verbal reactions. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 28, 643-662. (See PDF document below).
 
Works Cited by the Experiment

BAIR, J. H., The practice curve: A study of the formation of habits. Psychol. Rev. Monog. Suppl., 1902 (No. 19), 1-70.

 

BERGSTRÖM, J. A., Experiments upon physiological memory. Amer. J. Psychol., 1893, 5, 356-359.

 

BERGSTRÖM, J. A., The relation of the interference of the practice effect of an association. Amer. J. Psychol., 1894, 6, 433-442.

 

BOWDITCH, H. P., and WARREN, J. W., The knee-jerk and its physiological modifications. J. Physiology, 1890, 11, 25-46.

 

BROWN, WARNER, Practice in associating color names with colors. Psychol. Rev., 1915, 22, 45-55.

 

BROWN, WARNER, Habit interference in card sorting. Univ. of Calif. Studies in Psychol., 1914, V. i, No. 4.

 

CATTELL, J. McK., The time it takes to see and name objects. Mind, 1886, 11, 63-65.

 

CULLER, A. J., Interference and adaptability. Arch. of Psychol., 1912, 3 (No. 24), 1-80.

 

DESCOEUDRES, A., Couleur, forme, ou nombre. Arch. de psychol., 1914, 14, 305-341.

 

GARRETT, H. E., and LEMMON, V. W., An analysis of several well-known tests. J. Appld. Psychol., 1924, 8, 424-438.

 

GOODENOUGH, F. L., and BRIAN, C. R., Certain factors underlying the acquisition of motor skill by pre-school children. J. EXPER. PSYCHOL., 1929, 12, 127-155.

 

HUNTER, W. S., and YARBROUGH, J. U., The interference of auditory habits in the white rat. J. Animal Behav., 1917, 7, 49-65.

 

HUNTER, W. S., Habit interference in the white rat and in the human subject. J. Comp. Psychol., 1922, 2, 29-59.

 

KLINE, L. W., An experimental study of associative inhibition. J. EXPER. PSYCHOL., 1921, 4, 270-299.

 

LESTER, O. P., Mental set in relation to retroactive inhibition. J. EXPER. PSYCHOL., 1932, 15, 681-699.

 

LIGON, E. M. A., Genetic study of color naming and word reading. Amer. J. Psychol., 1932, 44, 103-121.

 

LUND, F. H., The role of practice in speed of association. J. EXPER. PSYCHOL., 1927, 10, 424-433.

 

MÜLLER, G. E., and SCHUMANN, F., Experimentalle Beiträge zu Untersuchung des Gedächtnisses. Zsch. f. Psychol., 1894, 6, 81-190.

 

MÜNSTERBERG, HUGO, Gedächtnisstudien. Beiträge zur Experimentellen Psychologie, 1892, 4, 70.

 

PEARCE, BENNIE D., A note on the interference of visual habits in the white rat. J. Animal Behav., 1917, 7, 169-177.

 

PETERSON, J., and BARLOW, M. C., The effects of practice on individual differences. The 27th Year Book of Nat. Soc. Study of Educ., Part II, 1928, 211-230.

 

PETERSON, J., LANIER, L. H., and WALKER, H. M., Comparisons of white and negro children. J. Comp. Psychol., 1925, 5, 271-283.

 

PETERSON, J., and DAVID, Q. J., The psychology of handling men in the army. Minneapolis, Minn. Perine Book Co., 1918, pp. 146.

 

SHEPARD, J. F., and FOGELSONGER, H. M., Association and inhibition. Psychol. Rev., 1913, 20, 291-311.

 

TELFORD, C. W., Differences in responses to colors and their names. J. Genet. Psychol., 1930, 37, 151-159.

 

WOODWORTH, R. S., and WELLS, F. L., Association tests. Psychol. Rev. Monog. Suppl., 1911, 13 (No. 57), pp. 85.

 

See Also:

Stroop Task [30142]

STEP: Bilingual Stroop [34461]

STEP: Animal Stroop Task [34543]

STEP: Response and Encoding Factors in "Ignoring" Irrelevant Information [35121]

STEP: The Negative Priming Effect [35314]