Representational momentum is not (totally) impervious to error feedback

Can J Exp Psychol. 2009 Mar;63(1):49-58. doi: 10.1037/a0013980.

Abstract

The influence of feedback on representational momentum for the final location of a moving target was examined in 3 experiments. The presence of binary feedback (correct, error) during practise trials or during larger blocks of experimental trials did not reduce representational momentum, nor did the presence of more informative feedback specifying the direction of error (error-in front of, error-behind) during larger blocks of experimental trials reduce representational momentum. Effects on representational momentum of whether feedback was consistently provided were inconsistent. Even though feedback did not reduce representational momentum per se, feedback did influence the probability of a same response for different probe positions. Implications of the data for R. A. Finke and J. J. Freyd's (1985; J. J. Freyd, 1987) claim that representational momentum is impervious to error feedback, and possible roles of perceptual learning in representational momentum, are discussed.

MeSH terms

  • Attention* / physiology
  • Discrimination Learning* / physiology
  • Feedback, Psychological* / physiology
  • Humans
  • Motion Perception* / physiology
  • Pattern Recognition, Visual* / physiology
  • Photic Stimulation / methods
  • Psychomotor Performance* / physiology
  • Psychophysics
  • Reaction Time* / physiology
  • Young Adult