STROOP EFFECT

Practical 1

From: Gagandeep Kaur

Roll No.: 862302021
Sub: Practical PMP(102)
To- Dr. Santha Kumari
Dr. Anuj Shukla

Title: Investigating the Stroop Effect in an Online Setting

Abstract
The Stroop effect is a classic psychological phenomenon that demonstrates the interference
between automatic and controlled cognitive processes. This study aimed to replicate the
Stroop effect in an online setting and examine the impact of incongruent stimuli on
participants' reaction times. An online experiment was conducted using a computer-based
Stroop task, and data from a diverse sample of participants were collected. Results indicated a
significant delay in reaction times for incongruent stimuli compared to congruent stimuli,
supporting the presence of the Stroop effect in the online environment. This study highlights
the robustness of the Stroop effect and its applicability in virtual research settings.

Introduction:
The Stroop effect, named after John Ridley Stroop, is a cognitive phenomenon that
demonstrates the interference between reading words and identifying colors. In the classic
Stroop task, participants are given papers on which in congruent trial words are written with
same ink color, such as "blue" is written with 'blue' ink. On the other hand, in incongruent
trial words are written in contradictory ink such as 'blue' is written with 'red' ink. As in
incongruence trial participants experience interference between automatic process of reading
the words in the controlled process of identifying the ink color, which leads to delay in
reaction time. The Stroop effect has been widely studied in laboratory settings, but its
applicability in online experiments has gained interest due to the increasing use of virtual
research platforms.

Aim: To measure person’s cognitive processing speed and inhibitory control by presenting
them with helppf online stroop task.

Background:
Here's how the Stroop effect works:
1. Stroop Test: In the classic Stroop test, participants are presented with a list of color words
(e.g., red, blue, green) printed in random ink colors. The task is to name the ink color of the
word as quickly as possible while ignoring the actual word itself. For example, if the word
"blue" is written in red ink, participants should say "red."

2. Incongruent and Congruent Conditions: The Stroop effect is most pronounced when
there is a conflict between the ink color and the word. In the incongruent condition, the
word's meaning and the ink color are different (e.g., the word "green" written in red ink). In
the congruent condition, the word's meaning and the ink color match (e.g., the word "blue"
written in blue ink).

3. Interference: Participants tend to take longer to name the ink color in the incongruent
condition compared to the congruent condition. This is because the automatic process of
reading the word's meaning interferes with the controlled process of identifying the ink color.

4. Automatic vs. Controlled Processing: The Stroop effect highlights the conflict between
two cognitive processes: automatic processing (reading the word's meaning) and controlled
processing (identifying the ink color). The automatic process is more dominant and harder to
suppress, leading to slower reaction times in the incongruent condition.

Learning and Application: Studying the Stroop effect can provide insights into various
areas of psychology, including attention, cognitive control, and information processing. It is
often used as an experimental tool to investigate how different factors influence cognitive
processing.
Researchers also use the Stroop test to study disorders like attention-deficit/hyperactivity
disorder (ADHD), where difficulties in suppressing automatic responses can be observed.
Additionally, the Stroop effect has implications for understanding conditions such as anxiety
and stress, which can impact cognitive control and attentional processes.

In educational settings, the Stroop effect can be used as a tool to demonstrate the
complexities of cognitive processing to students. It can also serve as a basis for discussions
about attentional biases, multitasking, and cognitive training.
In summary, studying the Stroop effect provides valuable insights into the inner workings of
our cognitive processes and how they can be influenced by external factors. It's an interesting
area of research that has practical applications in psychology, education, and beyond.

Method :

Hypothesis 1: Participants will take longer to press the rightkey of the ink color of
incongruent color-word stimuli compared to congruent stimuli.

Hypothesis 2: Participants will exhibit a higher error rate in pressing the key of the ink color
of incongruent stimuli compared to congruent stimuli.

Design: A repeated measure design was used for this experiment. This requires using the
same participants for each condition-congruent and incongruent. This allows the responses
from an individual for the congruent condition to be directly compared to their response for
the incongruent condition. There were two conditions being compared. The congruent
condition consisted words written in the same color fonts e.g., 'red' was written in red font
color. The second condition was incongruent e.g., 'red' written in blue fonts color.

Participants: A total of 96 participants (48 males, 48 females) were recruited through online
platforms. The age range of participants was 18-28 years, representing a diverse sample.

Materials: An online Stroop task was designed using JavaScript and presented on a
computer screen. Participants were asked to indicate the ink color of each word as quickly
and accurately as possible by pressing corresponding keyboard keys.

Variables:
Independent variable: In an online Stroop task, the independent variable is the type of
stimulus presented (e.g., congruent or incongruent word-color combinations)
Dependent variable : the dependent variable is the participant's response time or accuracy
in naming the color of the word.

Instructions:
Participants are typically instructed to identify the color of the displayed word while ignoring
the actual word itself. They are asked to respond as quickly and accurately as possible. The
instructions usually emphasize prioritizing speed and accuracy equally. The task might
include congruent trials (where the word and color match) and incongruent trials (where they
don't), helping researchers analyze the impact of interference on participants' response times
and accuracy.

Procedure: Participants were provided with instructions and consent forms online. They
were then presented with a series of trials consisting of congruent and incongruent color-
word pairs (e.g., "RED" in blue ink) in randomized order. Each participant completed a total
of 50 trials.
Data Analysis: Reaction times (in milliseconds) for correct responses to both congruent and
incongruent trials were recorded and analyzed using t-tests to compare mean reaction times
between the two conditions.

Results:
The mean reaction time for congruent trials was 968.31 ms (SD = 201.666), while the mean
reaction time for incongruent trials was 1100.18 ms (SD = 198.383). A paired-samples t-test
revealed mean= -131.865, SD = 121.614and significant difference in reaction times between
congruent and incongruent trials (t(95) =-10.624< 0.0001 ), indicating a robust Stroop effect.

Table 1. shows paired sample statistics(mean, std. deviation, std. error mean)
Mean N Std. deviation Std. error
mean
Pair 1 Congruent(ms) 968.31 96 201.666 20.582
Incongruent(ms) 1100.18 96 198.383 20.247

Table 2. Shows mean. std. deviation, std. error mean, t value, df, sig(2-tailed).
Mean Std. Std. Error t df Sig(2-
deviation mean tailed)

pair 1 -131.865 121.614 12.412 -10.624 95 0.0001

Congruent(ms)
Incongruent(ms)

Discussion:
The findings of this online study replicate the classic Stroop effect, demonstrating that
incongruent stimuli lead to longer reaction times compared to congruent stimuli. This
suggests that the interference between automatic and controlled cognitive processes, as
demonstrated by the Stroop effect, can be successfully observed in an online setting. The
present study contributes to the growing body of research supporting the validity of online
experiments for investigating cognitive phenomena.

Conclusion:
This study successfully replicated the Stroop effect in an online setting, confirming the
interference between reading words and identifying colors. The findings highlight the
adaptability of the Stroop effect paradigm to virtual research platforms and underscore the
continued relevance of this cognitive phenomenon in modern research settings.

References:
1. Stroop, J.R. (1935). Studies of interference in serial verbal reactions. Journal of Experimental
Psychology, 18(6), 643-662.

2. A Report On The Evaluation Of The Stroop Effect. (2021, October 25). GradesFixer. Retrieved
August 23, 2023, from https://gradesfixer.com/free-essay-examples/a-report-on-the-evaluation-of-
the-stroop-effect/