Ciardo Francesca, Lugli Luisa, Nicoletti Roberto, Rubichi Sandro, Iani Cristina
Department of Communication and Economics, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Viale Allegri, 9, 42121 Reggio Emilia, Italy.
Department of Philosophy and Communication, University of Bologna, via A. Gardino 23, 40122, Bologna, Italy.
Sci Rep. 2016 Mar 4;6:22673. doi: 10.1038/srep22673.
In two behavioural experiments we tested whether performing a spatial task along with another agent changes space representation by rendering some reference frames more/less salient than others. To this end, we used a Simon task in which stimuli were presented in four horizontal locations thus allowing for spatial coding according to multiple frames of reference. In Experiment 1 participants performed a go/no-go Simon task along another agent, each being in charge of one response. In Experiment 2 they performed a two-choice Simon task along another agent, each being in charge of two responses. Results showed that when participants were in charge of only one response, stimulus position was coded only with reference to the centre of the screen hence suggesting that the co-actor's response, or the position of the co-actor, was represented and used as a reference for spatial coding. Differently, when participants were in charge of two responses, no effect of the social context emerged and spatial coding relied on multiple frames of reference, similarly to when the Simon task is performed individually. These findings provide insights on the influence played by the interaction between the social context (i.e. the presence of others) and task features on individual performance.
在两项行为实验中，我们测试了与另一个体共同执行空间任务是否会通过使某些参照系比其他参照系更显著或更不显著来改变空间表征。为此，我们使用了一个西蒙任务，其中刺激在四个水平位置呈现，从而允许根据多个参照系进行空间编码。在实验1中，参与者与另一个体一起执行一个go/no-go西蒙任务，每人负责一种反应。在实验2中，他们与另一个体一起执行一个二选一西蒙任务，每人负责两种反应。结果表明，当参与者只负责一种反应时，刺激位置仅参照屏幕中心进行编码，因此表明共同执行者的反应或共同执行者的位置被表征并用作空间编码的参照。不同的是，当参与者负责两种反应时，社会情境没有产生影响，空间编码依赖于多个参照系，这与单独执行西蒙任务时类似。这些发现为社会情境（即他人的存在）与任务特征之间的相互作用对个体表现的影响提供了见解。
