Analysis of the response rate to cognitive load

Analysis of the response rate to cognitive load, word type and valence of stimuli in masked
repetition priming and the effect on individual preferences
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Abstract
The working memory has a limited capacity to hold information. Therefore, through selective
attention, it is possible to filter relevant stimuli. In this research, an analysis was done to
investigate the response time in meaning tasks and cognitive tasks. Further research was also
done to examine the impact of the emotional valence of words to the response rate of the
participants. It was found that there was a higher response time in cognitive tasks as compared
to meaning tasks. It was also found that words that had a negative emotional valence had a faster
response rate. The hypothesis that individuals with anxiety responded faster to words with
negative valence while individuals who are happy responded more quickly to words with a
positive emotional valance was rejected

Introduction
Evidence-based research has shown that unconscious stimuli are not processed as fast as
conscious stimuli; however, it has a significant effect on conscious behavior. Deutsch and
Deutsch (1963) explain that the innate capacity of an individual to retain information in the
working memory is limited, which reflects limited conscious awareness. The mind is therefore
designed to have a selective attention filter which allows it to focus the attention to the desired
task and ignore the irrelevant stimuli. Merikle, Smilek, & Eastwood (2001), also explain that the
attention of an individual can be manipulated by presenting e appropriate stimulus or by
instructing the individual on where they should focus their attention
Priming is a psychological technique in which exposure to a specific stimulus influences
the individual’s response to subsequent or related stimuli (Neeley and Kahan (2001). It is an
unconscious method of activating a particular section of the brain which overall improves the
functionality. An example is showing an individual a blue piece of paper then directing them to a
fruit basket. They are more likely to identify blueberries first as compared to yellow bananas or
their favorite fruit. Bodner and Stalinsky (2008) explain that repetition priming is consistently
using the same stimulus in order to initiate a behavioral change. Semantic priming, on the other
hand, is when words are associated. An example is showing an individual a set of words in
uppercase and lower case. The individual will respond differently to the words. According to
Heyman et al. (2015), semantic activation is automatic; however, it can be modified to respond
to a specific stimulus. There are various factors that influence semantic activation. They include
the type of stimuli, the repetition rate of stimuli and the time of exposure to the stimulus.