Farey Trees Explain Sequential Effects in Choice Response Time.

Colin T Annand,Sheila M Fleming,John G Holden

doi:10.3389/fphys.2021.611145

Colin T Annand, Sheila M Fleming + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2021.611145

Copy DOI

Abstract

The latencies of successive two-alternative, forced-choice response times display intricately patterned sequential effects, or dependencies. They vary as a function of particular trial-histories, and in terms of the order and identity of previously presented stimuli and registered responses. This article tests a novel hypothesis that sequential effects are governed by dynamic principles, such as those entailed by a discrete sine-circle map adaptation of the Haken Kelso Bunz (HKB) bimanual coordination model. The model explained the sequential effects expressed in two classic sequential dependency data sets. It explained the rise of a repetition advantage, the acceleration of repeated affirmative responses, in tasks with faster paces. Likewise, the model successfully predicted an alternation advantage, the acceleration of interleaved affirmative and negative responses, when a task’s pace slows and becomes more variable. Detailed analyses of five studies established oscillatory influences on sequential effects in the context of balanced and biased trial presentation rates, variable pacing, progressive and differential cognitive loads, and dyadic performance. Overall, the empirical patterns revealed lawful oscillatory constraints governing sequential effects in the time-course and accuracy of performance across a broad continuum of recognition and decision activities.

Highlights

AND OVERVIEWSuccessively measured two-alternative forced-choice response time latencies often display sequential dependencies in their durations
One-Two-Four Rotation Figure 8A depicts the response time results for the 1-2-4 Letter rotation condition
The error rates conformed to relative stability predictions intrinsic to the shape of the Farey tree, F(1, 28) = 413.90, r2 = 0.94, p < 0.0001

Summary

Introduction

Measured two-alternative forced-choice response time latencies often display sequential dependencies in their durations This propensity is a long-recognized empirical puzzle in the decision-making literature (e.g., see Hyman, 1953; Laming, 1969; Schvaneveldt and Chase, 1969; Kornblum, 1973; Kirby, 1976; Treisman and Williams, 1984; Luce, 1986; Cho et al, 2002; Jentzsch and Sommer, 2002; Doshi et al, 2012; Jones et al, 2013; Zhang et al, 2014). Successive repeats of targeted stimulus-response relations yield a progressive speeding in response times across successive trials This tendency is called the repetition effect. Response times for trial-histories that are composed of various permutations of affirmative and negative responses typically fall between these extremes These core tendencies are generally most acute in simpler tasks with relatively short inter-trial-intervals (ITIs – called response-stimulus intervals or RSIs), the blank-screen downtime between trials. If the task imposes relatively long ITIs (>500 ms), alternating strings of affirmative and Response Time Mode-Locking negative trials often yield more potent progressive speeding, referred to as the alternation effect (Kirby, 1980)

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion