Input, decision, and response factors in picture-word interference

Examined 2 variations of the picture-word analog of the Stroop task in an effort to gain a better understanding of the processes involved in responding to picture-word stimuli. Four stages in this process were outlined and evaluated as potential sources of the interference in these types of tasks. In Exp I with 40 undergraduates, Ss were required to respond "yes" or "no" (vocally or manually) to whether the picture was that of a dog. In Exp II, 18 Ss were asked to respond by naming the picture's semantic category. Overall results indicate that (a) input factors contributed little to the interference observed; (b) in certain situations, some of the interference was due to an interaction of the semantic information from the word and the picture during a decision process; and (c) the response selection and output processes accounted for most of the interference but only in situations in which the word's name was potentially a response. Implications for the study of automatic semantic processing of words are discussed. (24 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved).