School of Psychology, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, 330022, China.
Psychol Res. 2021 Sep;85(6):2223-2236. doi: 10.1007/s00426-020-01407-z. Epub 2020 Aug 31.
People respond to small numbers faster with the left hand and respond to large numbers faster with the right hand, a phenomenon known as the Spatial-Numerical Association of Response Codes (SNARC) effect. Whether the SNARC effect originates from culturally determined long-term experience or the task-set-influenced temporary associations among spaces, locations, and numerical magnitudes in working memory (WM) is still controversial. In the present study, we used a trisection paradigm in which numbers were divided into three categories (small: 1, 2; middle: 4, 5, 6; and large: 8, 9) to explore whether the central executive control can modulate the SNARC effect. Participants were serially presented with a cue and a target number. The cue denoted a task rule, which informed participants to compare the target number with either 3 or 7. The cue was either switched or repeated across trials. We found that the SNARC effects were observed in the cue-switching condition. In the cue-repeat condition, the SNARC effect disappeared. These findings suggest that the SNARC effect is modulated by set-shifting-related central executive control in WM, supporting the view that the SNARC effect is WM-dependent.
人们用左手对小数字的反应更快，用右手对大数字的反应更快，这种现象被称为空间-数字反应代码关联（SNARC）效应。SNARC 效应是源于文化决定的长期经验，还是工作记忆（WM）中空间、位置和数值大小之间受任务集影响的临时关联，这仍然存在争议。在本研究中，我们使用了三分法范式，其中数字被分为三类（小：1,2；中：4,5,6；大：8,9），以探讨中央执行控制是否可以调节 SNARC 效应。参与者依次呈现提示和目标数字。提示表示任务规则，告知参与者将目标数字与 3 或 7 进行比较。提示在试验中要么切换，要么重复。我们发现，在提示切换条件下观察到了 SNARC 效应。在提示重复条件下，SNARC 效应消失。这些发现表明，SNARC 效应受到 WM 中与定势转移相关的中央执行控制的调节，支持了 SNARC 效应依赖于 WM 的观点。
