Abstract
In two experiments, we examined simple reaction times (RTs) for detection of the onsets and offsets of auditory stimuli. Both experiments assessed the redundant signals effect (RSE), which is traditionally defined as the reduction in RT associated with the presentation of two redundant stimuli, rather than a single stimulus. In Experiment 1, with two identical tones presented via headphones to the left ear, right ear, or both, no RSE was found in responding to tone onsets, but a large RSE was found in responding to their offsets. In Experiment 2, with a pure tone and white noise as the two stimulus alternatives, RSEs were found for responding to both onsets and offsets. The results support the notion that the occurrence of an RSE depends on the number of percepts, rather than the number of stimuli, and on the requirement to respond to stimulus onsets versus offsets. The parallel grains model (Miller & Ulrich, 2003) provides one possible account of this pattern of results.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Anderson, J. A. (1977). Neural models with cognitive implications. In D. LaBerge & S. Samuels (Eds.), Basic processes in reading: Perception and comprehension (pp. 27–90). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
Biederman, I., & Checkosky, S. F. (1970). Processing redundant information. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 83, 486–490.
Burbeck, S. L., & Luce, R. D. (1982). Evidence from auditory simple reaction times for both change and level detectors. Perception & Psychophysics, 32, 117–133.
Colonius, H., & Arndt, P. (2001). A two-stage model for visual-auditory interaction in saccadic latencies. Perception & Psychophysics, 63, 126–147.
Colonius, H., & Diederich, A. (2004). Multisensory interaction in saccadic reaction time: A time-window-of-integration model. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 16, 1000–1009.
Corballis, M. C. (2002). Hemispheric interactions in simple reaction time. Neuropsychologia, 40, 423–434.
Diederich, A. (1992). Intersensory facilitation: Race, superposition, and diffusion models for reaction time to multiple stimuli. Frankfurt: Lang.
Diederich, A. (1995). Intersensory facilitation of reaction time: Evaluation of counter and diffusion coactivation models. Journal of Mathematical Psychology, 39, 197–215.
Diederich, A., & Colonius, H. (1987). Intersensory facilitation in the motor component? A reaction time analysis. Psychological Research, 49, 23–29.
Diederich, A., & Colonius, H. (2004). Bimodal and trimodal multi-sensory enhancement: Effects of stimulus onset and intensity on reaction time. Perception & Psychophysics, 66, 1388–1404.
Estes, W. K. (1950). Toward a statistical theory of learning. Psychological Review, 57, 94–107.
Fischer, R., & Miller, J. O. (2008). Differential redundancy gain in onset detection versus offset detection. Perception & Psychophysics, 70, 431–436.
Forster, B., Cavina-Pratesi, C., Aglioti, S. M., & Berlucchi, G. (2002). Redundant target effect and intersensory facilitation from visual—tactile interactions in simple reaction time. Experimental Brain Research, 143, 480–487.
Giray, M., & Ulrich, R. (1993). Motor coactivation revealed by response force in divided and focused attention. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception & Performance, 19, 1278–1291.
Gondan, M., Lange, K., Rösler, F., & Röder, B. (2004). The redundant target effect is affected by modality switch costs. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 11, 307–313.
Hershenson, M. (1962). Reaction time as a measure of intersensory facilitation. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 63, 289–293.
Leakey, D. M., Sayers, B. M., & Cherry, C. (1958). Binaural fusion of low- and high-frequency sounds. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 30, 222.
Marks, L. E. (1978). Binaural summation of the loudness of pure tones. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 64, 107–113.
McClelland, J. L. (1979). On the time relations of mental processes: An examination of systems of processes in cascade. Psychological Review, 86, 287–330.
Miller, J. (1982). Divided attention: Evidence for coactivation with redundant signals. Cognitive Psychology, 14, 247–279.
Miller, J. (1998). Cupid: A program for computations with probability distributions. Behavior Research Methods, Instruments, & Computers, 30, 544–545.
Miller, J., & Ulrich, R. (2003). Simple reaction time and statistical facilitation: A parallel grains model. Cognitive Psychology, 46, 101–151.
Mordkoff, J. T., & Yantis, S. (1991). An interactive race model of divided attention. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception & Performance, 17, 520–538.
Mordkoff, J. T., & Yantis, S. (1993). Dividing attention between color and shape: Evidence of coactivation. Perception & Psychophysics, 53, 357–366.
Näätänen, H R. (1971). Non-aging fore-periods and simple reaction time. Acta Psychologica, 35, 316–327.
Näätänen, R., & Merisalo, A. (1977). Expectancy and preparation in simple reaction time. In S. Dornic (Ed.), Attention and performance VI (pp. 115–138). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
Niemi, P. (1979). Stimulus intensity effects on auditory and visual reaction processes. Acta Psychologica, 43, 299–312.
Odenthal, D. W. (1961). Simultaneous dichotic frequency discrimination. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 33, 357–358.
Odenthal, D. W. (1963). Perception and neural representation of simultaneous pure tone stimuli. Acta Physiologica et Pharmacologica Neerlandica, 12, 453–496.
Raab, D. H. (1962). Statistical facilitation of simple reaction times. Transactions of the New York Academy of Sciences, 24, 574–590.
Schröter, H., Ulrich, R., & Miller, J. (2007). Effects of redundant auditory stimuli on reaction time. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 14, 39–44.
Schwarz, W. (1989). A new model to explain the redundant-signals effect. Perception & Psychophysics, 46, 498–500.
Schwarz, W. (1994). Diffusion, superposition, and the redundant-targets effect. Journal of Mathematical Psychology, 38, 504–520.
Sollers, J. J., III, & Hackley, S. A. (1997). Effects of foreperiod duration on reflexive and voluntary responses to intense noise bursts. Psychophysiology, 34, 518–526.
Townsend, J. T., & Nozawa, G. (1997). Serial exhaustive models can violate the race model inequality: Implications for architecture and capacity. Psychological Review, 104, 595–602.
Treisman, A. M. (1988). Features and objects: The fourteenth Bartlett memorial lecture. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 40A, 201–237.
Ulrich, R., & Mattes, S. (1996). Does immediate arousal enhance response force in simple reaction time? Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 49A, 972–990.
Ulrich, R., Miller, J., & Schröter, H. (2007). Testing the race model inequality: An algorithm and computer programs. Behavior Research Methods, 39, 291–302.
Ward, W. D. (1970). Musical perception. In J. V. Tobias (Ed.), Foundations of modern auditory theory (Vol. 1, pp. 405–447). New York: AcHademic Press.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
This research was supported by a grant from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (SCHR 1180/2-1).
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Schröter, H., Frei, L.S., Ulrich, R. et al. The auditory redundant signals effect: An influence of number of stimuli or number of percepts?. Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics 71, 1375–1384 (2009). https://doi.org/10.3758/APP.71.6.1375
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/APP.71.6.1375