School of Psychology, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, China.
Psych J. 2022 Dec;11(6):792-803. doi: 10.1002/pchj.586. Epub 2022 Aug 16.
The spatial-numerical association of response codes (SNARC) effect, in which people respond to small numbers faster with the left hand and to large numbers faster with the right hand, is a popular topic in cognitive psychology. Some well-known theoretical accounts explaining this effect include the mental number line model, polarity correspondence principle, dual-route model, and working memory account. However, these fail to explain the finding that the size of the SNARC effect is modulated by cognitive control. Here, we propose a new account-a cognitive control-based view of the SNARC effect. This view argues that the SNARC effect is fundamentally determined by cognitive control in resolving conflicts during stimulus-response mapping. Several subcomponents of cognitive control, such as working memory, mental or task set shifting, inhibition control, and conflict adaptation, can easily modulate the SNARC effect. The cognitive control-based view can account for the flexible SNARC effect observed in diverse task situations while providing new insight into its mechanism.
空间-数字反应编码关联（SNARC）效应是认知心理学中的一个热门话题，它指的是人们用左手对小数字做出更快的反应，而用右手对大数字做出更快的反应。一些著名的理论解释包括心理数字线模型、极性对应原则、双路径模型和工作记忆理论。然而，这些理论都无法解释这样一个发现，即 SNARC 效应的大小受到认知控制的调节。在这里，我们提出了一个新的理论——基于认知控制的 SNARC 效应观点。该观点认为，SNARC 效应从根本上取决于认知控制在解决刺激-反应映射过程中的冲突。认知控制的几个子成分，如工作记忆、心理或任务转换、抑制控制和冲突适应，都可以轻松调节 SNARC 效应。基于认知控制的观点可以解释在各种任务情境中观察到的灵活的 SNARC 效应，同时为其机制提供新的见解。
