Associative processes and strategies in disjunctive reaction time.

Scaling analysis based on variable criterion theory has been applied to the c-reaction form of disjunctive RT. In addition to previously identified sensory growth functions, two associative processes have been identified and functions of time describing their growth have been obtained. Associative strength to the positive stimulus begins at about 200 msec, or after, and grows with initial positive and later negative acceleration. Associative inhibition to the negative stimulus begins earlier, shortly after the sensory detection functions, and grows rapidly with negative acceleration. Subjects may adopt strategies which emphasize the use of either of these associative processes. With the pure inhibitory strategy, they respond to the positive stimulus entirely on the basis of sensory detection, but associatively inhibit response to the negative stimulus. With either strategy, the speed-accuracy tradeoff was determined by the level of criterion adjustment.