Testing the role of vertical symmetry in letter matching

Howard E. Egeth; Hiram H. Brownell; Leo D. Geoffrion

doi:10.1037/0096-1523.2.3.429

Testing the role of vertical symmetry in letter matching

Howard E. Egeth, Hiram H. Brownell, Leo D. Geoffrion

Krieger School of Arts and Sciences

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

11 Scopus citations

Abstract

Four experiments with a total of 54 young adults tested a recent suggestion that vertical symmetry of a stimulus display can serve as a visual diagnostic for responding "same" in a letter-matching task. The data of chief interest were same reaction times to vertically symmetric (e.g., AA) and asymmetric (e.g., LL) displays, each composed of 2 side-by-side uppercase letters. Overall, the data argue against Ss' use of vertical symmetry as a diagnostic in dealing with letter pairs. Results are interpreted within the context of recent work on symmetry. In particular, it is suggested that the importance of structural diagnostics in a matching task may be inversely related to the codability of the stimulus elements being compared. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved).

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	429-434
Number of pages	6
Journal	Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance
Volume	2
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1037/0096-1523.2.3.429
State	Published - Aug 1 1976

Keywords

importance of structural diagnostics, adults
vertically symmetric vs asymmetric letter pairs, RT in letter matching &

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
Arts and Humanities (miscellaneous)
Behavioral Neuroscience

Access to Document

10.1037/0096-1523.2.3.429

Cite this

@article{e74f6ad2bd2a414bac1b61ac012f221d,

title = "Testing the role of vertical symmetry in letter matching",

abstract = "Four experiments with a total of 54 young adults tested a recent suggestion that vertical symmetry of a stimulus display can serve as a visual diagnostic for responding {"}same{"} in a letter-matching task. The data of chief interest were same reaction times to vertically symmetric (e.g., AA) and asymmetric (e.g., LL) displays, each composed of 2 side-by-side uppercase letters. Overall, the data argue against Ss' use of vertical symmetry as a diagnostic in dealing with letter pairs. Results are interpreted within the context of recent work on symmetry. In particular, it is suggested that the importance of structural diagnostics in a matching task may be inversely related to the codability of the stimulus elements being compared. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved).",

keywords = "importance of structural diagnostics, adults, vertically symmetric vs asymmetric letter pairs, RT in letter matching &",

author = "Egeth, {Howard E.} and Brownell, {Hiram H.} and Geoffrion, {Leo D.}",

year = "1976",

month = aug,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1037/0096-1523.2.3.429",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "2",

pages = "429--434",

journal = "Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance",

issn = "0096-1523",

publisher = "American Psychological Association Inc.",

number = "3",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Testing the role of vertical symmetry in letter matching

AU - Egeth, Howard E.

AU - Brownell, Hiram H.

AU - Geoffrion, Leo D.

PY - 1976/8/1

Y1 - 1976/8/1

N2 - Four experiments with a total of 54 young adults tested a recent suggestion that vertical symmetry of a stimulus display can serve as a visual diagnostic for responding "same" in a letter-matching task. The data of chief interest were same reaction times to vertically symmetric (e.g., AA) and asymmetric (e.g., LL) displays, each composed of 2 side-by-side uppercase letters. Overall, the data argue against Ss' use of vertical symmetry as a diagnostic in dealing with letter pairs. Results are interpreted within the context of recent work on symmetry. In particular, it is suggested that the importance of structural diagnostics in a matching task may be inversely related to the codability of the stimulus elements being compared. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved).

AB - Four experiments with a total of 54 young adults tested a recent suggestion that vertical symmetry of a stimulus display can serve as a visual diagnostic for responding "same" in a letter-matching task. The data of chief interest were same reaction times to vertically symmetric (e.g., AA) and asymmetric (e.g., LL) displays, each composed of 2 side-by-side uppercase letters. Overall, the data argue against Ss' use of vertical symmetry as a diagnostic in dealing with letter pairs. Results are interpreted within the context of recent work on symmetry. In particular, it is suggested that the importance of structural diagnostics in a matching task may be inversely related to the codability of the stimulus elements being compared. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved).

KW - importance of structural diagnostics, adults

KW - vertically symmetric vs asymmetric letter pairs, RT in letter matching &

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0016987121&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0016987121&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1037/0096-1523.2.3.429

DO - 10.1037/0096-1523.2.3.429

M3 - Article

C2 - 993747

AN - SCOPUS:0016987121

SN - 0096-1523

VL - 2

SP - 429

EP - 434

JO - Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance

JF - Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance

IS - 3

ER -

Testing the role of vertical symmetry in letter matching

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this