Research On The Effects Of Masking Stimulus’s Relativity On Negative Compatibility Effect

The negative compatibility effect is a phenomenon of the reversal of a priming effect. It usually occurs in masked prime paradigm, with performance benefits on incompatible trials and cost on compatible trials. Previous studies all agreed that the masking stimulus plays an important role in the process of negative compatibility effect. But what role it plays is still controversial. Especially about the question of whether masking stimulus’s relativity will affect the negative compatibility effect. To that self-inhibition theory, object-updating theory and mask-triggered inhibition theory have different views. This article tries to explore the effects of masking stimulus’s relativity on negative compatibility effect.Experiment one explores the effects of masking stimulus’s relativity on negative compatibility effect by manipulating the two different relativity degrees of masking stimulus. Experiment uses2(the relationship between prime and target:compatible and incompatible) x2(mask type:high relevant mask and medium relevant mask) x7(mask-target SOA.O ms,40ms,80ms,120ms, and160ms,200ms,240ms) three-factor repeated-measures experimental design. The subjects’reaction time and error rate are served as dependent variable.Experiment two divides irrelevant masking stimulus into absolute irrelevant masks and relative irrelevant masks to explore whether it can appear the negative compatibility effect in irrelevant masking stimulus and the effects of masking stimulus’s relativity on negative compatibility effect in irrelevant masking stimulus. Experiment uses2(the relationship between prime and target:compatible and incompatible) x2(mask type: relative irrelevant mask and absolute irrelevant mask) x7(mask-target SOA:0ms,40ms,80ms,120ms, and160ms,200ms,240ms) three-factor repeated-measures experimental design. The subjects’reaction time and error rate are served as dependent variable.Through the research we draw the following several conclusions:(1) It can appear the negative compatibility effect steadily in relevant masking stimulus. Masking stimulus’s relativity will influence the negative compatibility effect. Compared with medium relevant masks, the negative compatibility effect in high relevant masks is larger and more stable.(2) It also appear the negative compatibility effect in irrelevant masking stimulus but which is restricted by SOA. In irrelevant masking stimulus, the relativity will also affect the negative compatibility effect. Compared with absolute irrelevant masks, the negative compatibility effect in relative irrelevant masks is larger and less restriction.(3) Mask-target SOA and masking stimulu’s relevance have a great impact in the generation of the negative compatibility effect. With the extension of SOA, the priming effect follow the pattern of" positive priming effect-offset-negative compatibility effect-offset ". Overall, the higher relevance, the larger negative compatibility effect and the less restriction. The experimental results support mask-triggered inhibition theory. The negative compatibility effect comes from restriction.