Proactive response preparation contributes to contingency learning: Novel evidence from force-sensitive keyboards

Category

Journal Article

Authors

Weissman, D. H., Schmidt, J. R.

Year

2024

Title

Proactive response preparation contributes to contingency learning: Novel evidence from force-sensitive keyboards

Journal / book / conference

Psychological Research

Abstract

Contingency learning can involve learning that the identity of one stimulus in a sequence predicts the identity of the next stimulus. It remains unclear, however, whether such learning speeds responses to the next stimulus only by reducing the threshold for triggering the expected response after stimulus onset or also by preparing the expected response before stimulus onset. To distinguish between these competing accounts, we manipulated the probabilities with which each of two prime arrows (Left and Right) were followed by each of two probe arrows (Up and Down) in a prime-probe task while using force-sensitive keyboards to monitor sub-threshold finger force. Consistent with the response preparation account, two experiments revealed greater force just before probe onset on the response key corresponding to the direction in which the probe was more (versus less) likely to point (e.g., Up vs Down). Furthermore, mirroring sequential contingency effects in behavior, this pre-probe force effect vanished after a single low-probability trial. These findings favor the response preparation account over the threshold only account. They also suggest the possibility that contingency learning in our tasks indexes trial-by-trial expectations regarding the utility of the prime for predicting the upcoming probe.

Volume

88

Pages

1182–1202

Keywords

statistical learning, associative learning, sequential trial effects, contingency learning, response force

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