Existence of non-selective restricted priming: Confirmatory evidence

Abstract

The object of this study was to verify if non-selective restricted (NSR) priming could be generated independently of the non-selective (NS) priming which has been found to be sensitive to changes in temporal uncertainty. The study also aimed at specifying some of NSR priming's properties. Changes in NSR priming were promoted by varying subject's confidence in the experimenter's prediction that the required response would be part of a predicted subset of four equiprobable responses. Changes in NS priming were induced by varying foreperiod duration. In addition, on 1/14 of the trials, a different response was called for by a probe stimulus. The time needed to react to this stimulus represented the level of preparation associated with the ‘dormant’ responses of the subject's repertoire. The results showed that changes in NSR and NS priming can be generated independently, showing that NSR exists as a unique and distinct preparatory process. The results also showed that changes in either NSR or NS priming did not affect the readiness of the ‘dormant’ response. This confirmed the hypothesized property of NSR of being restricted but did not support the hypothesis that, contrary to NSR priming, changes in NS priming affect all responses of the subject's repertoire.