Precueing response factors in choice reaction time: a word of caution

Abstract

This note discusses the assumption researchers make when movement attributes are precued in a choice reaction time (RT) paradigm-i.e., that the precue only reduces the number of response alternatives, so that changes in RT reflect the programming time for the unprecued attributes. However, it is argued that since the precue reduces the number of stimulus alternatives, changes in RT reflect changes in both stimulus processing and response programming. Therefore, the interpretation made by Klapp (1977), using the precue paradigm, that response selection and response timing are not independent sequential stages in the programming sequence, is not necessarily correct.