Effects of report order on identification on multidimensional stimulus: Color and shape

Abstract

Two experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of order of report on multidimensional stimuli under between-subject and within-subject designs. The two orders of report were Order Color/Shape and Order Shape/Color. Eighteen participants responded according to the instructed one of the two orders of report in between-subject study. Results showed that response time for Order Color/Shape was significantly shorter than Order Shape/Color. Order Color/Shape, fit the Chinese "adjective then noun" grammar, is more appropriate if people report stimulus attributes in ways consistent with their long-standing language habits. However, another group of eleven participants were required to respond according to task cue alternately in within-subject study. Results showed that switch cost as indicated by response times increase was greater for Order Color/Shape than Order Shape/Color (97 msec. vs. 41 msec. for response time for the first stimulus dimension; 95 msec. vs. 28 msec. for response time total). Such results didn't support the hypothesis that the switch cost would be greater for Order Shape/Color than for Order Color/Shape. The order in which the color attribute should be considered very clearly. © 2009 Springer Berlin Heidelberg.