Simon and me

The Simon task is well-known for showing robust effects of task-irrelevant features such as spatial features on performance. However, this effect has been shown to be influenced by various manipulations regarding spatial as well as other features. Recently, modulated Simon effects were reported when using for instance verbal stimulus material next to horizontal and vertical stimulus arrangements (Gade et al. 2020). Here we set out to investigate yet another potentially influential variable namely implied agency as operationalized by self-prioritization. The effect of self-prioritization (Sui et al. 2012) reveals that self-related information is processed faster and more accurately in perceptual-matching tasks. Yet, being the causal agent creating an action effect has also been shown to affect the Simon effect (Hommel 1993). This experiment aims at investigating whether implied agency information modulates the Simon effect. To this end a stick figure manikin holding a colorful ball in its left or right hand will be augmented with labels (“me”, ”friend” or ”colleague”). This task will be carried out in a vertical and horizontal layout of the Simon task. The current study investigates the influence of implied agency in both stimulus setups of the Simon task.