COGNITIVE ERGONOMICS LABORATORY

Experiment No. 4: Stroop Test: Color-Word Discrimination

Name: Moreira Cardoso, Mateus Date: _________________________

Discussion

The Stroop effect is a demonstration of interference in the reaction time of a task. When the name of a
color (e.g., "blue," "green," or "red") is printed in a color not denoted by the name (e.g., the word "red"
printed in blue ink instead of red ink), naming the color of the word takes longer and is more prone to
errors than when the color of the ink matches the name of the color. The effect is named after John
Ridley Stroop who first published the effect in English in 1935. The effect had previously been published
in Germany in 1929.The original paper has been one of the most cited papers in the history of
experimental psychology, leading to more than 701 replications. The effect has been used to create a
psychological test (Stroop test) that is widely used in clinical practice and investigation.

This test is considered to measure selective attention, cognitive flexibility and processing speed and it is
used as a tool in the evaluation of executive functions. The Selective Attention Theory suggests that
color recognition as opposed to reading a word, requires more attention. In other words, the brain
needs to use more attention to recognize a color than to word encoding, so it takes a little longer. The
responses lend much to the interference noted in the Stroop task. This may be a result of either an
allocation of attention to the responses or to a greater inhibition of distractors that are not appropriate
responses.

Administration Time
Around 20 minutes, depending on level of impairment.

Procedure

Names of colors will appear on the screen, your task is simply to select the response based on the color
corresponding to what the written word indicates.

The Stroop Test Experiment consists of two blocks of trials. In the first block, color-word will appear on
the screen with no interference, meaning, the written color names will always correspond to the color
ink. The participants are then required to select the response based on the written color names or the
color ink. In the second block, color-word will appear on the screen with interference, meaning, you
have to select a response based on the written color names of the words independently of the color of
the ink. For example, you have to select “blue” no matter what color of its ink was.

Outcome Measures

The outcome measures Stroop Test experiment cover average response time and correct responses per
stimulus color.
Results of Experiment

Block 1: (Color-Words, No Interference)

Response Time Response Time

Trial Trial
(sec): (sec):
1 1.3359 11 1.1875
2 1.5078 12 1.0234
3 1.1328 13 0.9609
4 1.1172 14 1.3516
5 0.9297 15 1.3672
6 1.3203 16 1.6484
7 1.4141 17 1.2031
8 1.4063 18 0.8203
9 1.0859 19 1.0469
10 0.9922 20 1.6094
Average Response Time: 1.223045

Stimulus Color No. of RTs No. of Errors Mean RT Std. Dev.

Red 5 0 1.1516 0.2803
Aqua 4 0 1.1797 0.1416
Green 5 0 1.2734 0.2788
Blue 6 0 1.2695 0.2357

Block 2: (Color-Words, with Interference)

Response Time Response Time

Trial Trial
(sec): (sec):
1 3.7344 11 5.2266
2 1.4844 12 1.4141
3 1.2109 13 2.3438
4 1.2734 14 1.5078
5 1.8672 15 1.6406
6 1.3906 16 1.2266
7 1.1953 17 2.2188
8 2.1641 18 1.4141
9 1.5391 19 1.8047
10 1.9609 20 1.8984
Average Response Time: 1.92579
 Stimulus Color No. of RTs No. of Errors Mean RT Std. Dev.
Red 4 0 1.5020 0.4614
Aqua 6 1 1.8724 1.0661
Green 4 0 1.7383 0.4448
Blue 6 0 2.6576 1.4938

Data Analysis

1. Based on the results of the experiment, at which block did you perform better?
Based from the experiment the average of the response time I performed better in the first
block that as no interference. So if there is no any interference in recall the color or any items
without interchange with the actual name and object or image we will be easier to recall in
short of time without thinking twice.

2. Is there a significant difference between the response time of Block 1 and Block 2? Justify your
answer using Statistical Analysis (T-Test)

3. Briefly explain the effect of Stroop Test. Describe one way that you can apply the ideas learned
from this experiment in your life or in life in general (e.g. when designing safety measures).

This test is very essential in the safety designer because the experiment tells us that when we
put a sign or alarm in the certain please, the sign should represent was is going on, or sign have
to be clear for the purpose. Do not interference the meaning of the sign with different word.
Because in case of emergency people will no longer read the word but most of the time they
focused on the sign or mark. Beside from that it also remind as to be carefully of making
decision because sometimes things are not the one that appear in the surface only.

4. What is the most commonly accepted explanation of why most people are slower on “with
interference” trials than on “no interference” trials in the Stroop test experiment?

5. How do you think a child, who knows his or her colors very well but is still learning how to read,
would perform on the Stroop task? What do you think the child’s data would be like when
comparing the “with interference” and “no interference” conditions? Explain why.

There will be nearly enormous difference the data with interference and without inference a
child will just mention the color’s without read them, they will just focused on the color that
appear. And we insist him/her to read the words not mention the color they will have hard time
to read them there will be big destruction running in his/her mind while reading.