Interação entre polaridades afetivas e espaciais: preferências no futebol e compatibilidade estímulo-resposta / Interaction between affective and spatial polarities: soccer preferences and stimulus-response compatibility / Interacción entre polaridades afectivas y espaciales: preferencias futbolísticas y compatibilidad estímulo-respuesta

A valência afetiva de estímulos visuais provoca reações de aproximação e afastamento para estímulos positivos e negativos, respectivamente. Na tarefa de Simon, o tempo de reação é menor quando o estímulo e a resposta estão do mesmo lado (condição correspondente) do que quando estão em lados opostos (condição não-correspondente). A diferença entre os tempos de reação é o efeito Simon. Neste trabalho, foi investigado como as valências afetivas dos times Preferido e Rival influenciam o efeito Simon. Os resultados mostraram um maior efeito Simon para o time Preferido, indicando que a valência positiva do Preferido facilita a resposta correspondente.

The affective valence of visual stimuli elicits approach and avoidance reactions to positive and negative stimuli, respectively. In Simon task, the reaction time is shorter when the stimulus and the response are on the same side (corresponding condition) than when they are on opposite sides (non-corresponding condition). The difference between the reaction times is the Simon effect. This work investigated how the affective valences of the Favorite and Rival teams influence the Simon effect. The results showed a bigger Simon effect for the Favorite team, suggesting that the Favorite positive valence facilitates the corresponding response.

La valencia afectiva de los estímulos visuales provoca reacciones de aproximación y evitación a estímulos positivos y negativos, respectivamente. En la tarea de Simon, el tiempo de reacción es menor cuando el estímulo y la respuesta están del mismo lado (condición correspondiente) que cuando están en lados opuestos (condición no-correspondiente). La diferencia entre los tiempos de reacción es el efecto Simon. En este trabajo se investigó cómo las valencias afectivas de los equipos Favorito y Rival influyen en el efecto Simon. Los resultados mostraron que el efecto Simon para el equipo Favorito es mayor, lo que sugiere que la valencia positiva del equipo Favorito facilita la respuesta correspondiente.

Stimulus-response dimensional overlap elicits a decreasing Simon effect along the vertical dimension / A sobreposição dimensional entre o estímulo e a resposta na dimensão vertical provoca um decaimento do efeito Simon / Superposición dimensional induce la disminución del efecto Simon en la dimensión vertical

In Simon task, the response is faster when stimulus and response locations are spatially correspondent than when they are on opposite sides (Simon effect - SE). The SE was found with both horizontal and vertical stimulus-response arrangements. The horizontal SE decreases as reaction times increase. In contrast, the vertical SE does not decay over time. In this work, we investigate the vertical SE when both stimuli and responses are located along the vertical dimension. Results showed a decreasing SE occurring along the vertical dimension suggesting that similar underlying mechanisms may be involved both for the horizontal and vertical Simon effects.

Na tarefa de Simon, a resposta é mais rápida quando os locais do estímulo e da resposta são espacialmente correspondentes do que quando estão em lados opostos (efeito Simon - ES). O ES foi observado ao longo das dimensões horizontal e vertical. O ES horizontal diminui à medida que aumenta o tempo de reação, o que não ocorre com o ES vertical. Neste trabalho, investigamos o ES vertical com estímulos e respostas localizados ambos ao longo da dimensão vertical. Os resultados mostraram um ES decrescente na dimensão vertical sugerindo que mecanismos semelhantes estão envolvidos nos efeitos Simon horizontal e vertical.

En la tarea de Simón, la respuesta es más rápida cuando el estímulo y la respuesta son espacialmente correspondientes que cuando están en lados opuestos (efecto Simon - ES). La ES se observó en las dimensiones horizontal y vertical. El ES horizontal disminuye con el aumento del tiempo de reacción, lo que no ocurre con ES vertical. En este trabajo, se investigó el ES vertical con estímulos y respuestas situadas en la dimensión vertical. Los resultados mostraron una disminución del ES en la dimensión vertical lo que sugiere que mecanismos similares están implicados en los efectos Simon horizontal y vertical.

Affective spatial compatibility task(AFFSCT): theory and applications / Tarefa de compatibilidade espacial afetiva (TCEA): teoria e aplicações / Tarea de compatibilidad espacial afectiva (TCEA): teoría y aplicaciones

Emotional stimuli are processed very efficiently, influencing physiological and behavioral responses as well as attention, perceptual processes and sensory-motor integration. In a previous work, we introduced a new paradigm, the Affective Spatial Compatibility task (AffSCt), to study whether the affective valence of the stimulus influences spatial compatibility effects. By using figures of soccer players of Favorite and Rival Teams as positive and negative valence stimuli, we found a normal Spatial Compatibility effect for the Favorite team and a reversed one for the Rival team. Here, we analyzed the time course of inhibitory and facilitatory effects of emotional valence by the Vincentization method. We found that for Favorite team, the facilitatory effect for the compatible condition, as compared to the incompatible one, increases as a function of the reaction time. In contrast, for Rival team, an opposite trend was found, in which inhibitory effect beEmotional stimuli are processed verycomes stronger for slower responses. We suggest that AffSCt is a powerful technology for investigating approach/avoidance effects and that it may be useful for diagnosing and following up the treatment of affective and behavioral disorders, such as anxiety, panic and ADHD. Potential applications in social psychology and consumer studies are also considered.

Os estímulos emocionais são processados de forma muito eficiente, influenciando as respostas fisiológicas e comportamentais, bem como a atenção, a percepção e a integração sensório-motora. Em um trabalho anterior, propusemos um novo paradigma, a Tarefa Afetiva de Compatibilidade Espacial (AffSCt), para estudar se a valência afetiva do estímulo influenciaria os efeitos de compatibilidade espacial. Ao usarmos figuras de jogadores de futebol dos times Favorito e Rival como estímulos de valência positiva e negativa, respectivamente, encontramos um efeito de compatibilidade espacial normal para o time Favorito e um invertido para o time Rival. No presente trabalho, foi analisado o desenvolvimento temporal dos efeitos inibitórios e facilitatórios da valência emocional pelo método da Vincentização. Descobrimos que, para o time Favorito, o efeito facilitatório na condição compatível em relação à incompatível aumenta em função do tempo de reação. Em contraste, para o time Rival, uma tendência oposta foi encontrada, em que o efeito inibitório se torna mais forte para as respostas mais lentas. Sugere-se que a AffSCt é uma tecnologia poderosa para investigar comportamentos de aproximação/afastamento, podendo ser útil na avaliação diagnóstica e acompanhamento terapêutico de transtornos emocionais e comportamentais, como o de ansiedade generalizada, síndrome de pânico e transtorno do déficit de atenção/hiperatividade. Também são consideradas as aplicações potenciais em psicologia social e estudos de consumidor.

Los estímulos emocionales se procesan de manera muy eficiente e influyen en las respuestas fisiológicas y de comportamiento, así como en la atención, la percepción y la integración sensorio-motora. En un trabajo previo, que presentó un nuevo paradigma, la tarea afectiva de compatibilidad espacial (AffSCt), para estudiar si la valencia afectiva de los estímulos influyen en los efectos de la compatibilidad espacial. Mediante el uso de las figuras de los jugadores de fútbol de los equipos favorito e rival como estímulos positivo y negativo de valencia, respectivamente, se observó un efecto ordinario de compatibilidad espacial para el equipo favorito y un efecto invertido para el equipo rival. En este estudio, hemos examinado la evolución temporal de los efectos inhibitorios y facilitatorio de la valencia emocional por el uso de la Vincentización. Hemos encontrado que, para el equipo favorito, el efecto facilitatorio aumenta para la condición compatible, respecto la incompatible, con el tiempo de eacción. En contraste, para el equipo rival, una tendencia inversa se encontró, en el que el efecto inhibidor se vuelve más fuerte para las respuestas más lentas. Se sugiere que AffSCt es una poderosa tecnología para investigar los comportamientos de aproximación/retirada que puede ser útil para diagnosticar y seguir el tratamiento de trastornos afectivos y conductuales como ansiedad, pánico y déficit de atención/trastorno de hiperactividad. También son consideradas aplicaciones potenciales del método en la psicología social y en los estudios de consumo.

Effects of affective valence on a mixed Spatial Correspondence Task: a reply to Proctor (2013)

The present study investigated the influence of emotional valence on the spatial stimulus-key location correspondence effect in three experiments using the Affective Spatial Correspondence task (AffSCt). We initially reanalyzed the results of Conde et al. (2011) according to the model proposed by Proctor (2013). In that study, compatible and incompatible responses were chosen according to the participants' team preference. In one block, the volunteers had to press a key on the same side for the Favorite team and on the opposite side for the Rival team. In another block, a reverse code was used. We found that responses were faster for the Favorite-compatible/Rival-incompatible condition (614 ms) compared with the Favorite-incompatible/Rival-compatible condition (691 ms). The same experimental arrangement was replicated in another Brazilian city, and similar results were found. Additionally, we employed non-affective "fake" soccer teams as a control condition, and no mapping-rule effect was observed. Finally, a final experiment that used the same design but different non-affective stimuli (yellow and blue bars) was performed to provide further evidence that the valence effect in the present experimental paradigm only occurs with affective stimuli. As expected, non-affective stimuli did not produce an overall advantage for any mapping rules, corroborating earlier findings with similar mixed designs. The results confirmed the previous findings and validity of the AffSCt as a methodology to investigate the effects of emotional valence on stimulus-response correspondence. However, we are unable to provide a conclusive explanation to support the several hypotheses proposed previously in our paper and by Proctor (2013)...

Priming effect of figures that represent external objects or human body parts

A visual stimulus (e.g., a letter, word, or object) may have a lasting effect on the processing of subsequent stimuli. The present study verified the priming effect of a figure (i.e., five-petal daisy) on manual reaction time (MRT) to another equal or different five-petal daisy. Two distinct groups were tested. One group was instructed that the five-petal daisy represented a human hand. The other group was instructed that the five-petal daisy represented a flower. The figures in the pairs of stimuli could share or not share some features such as handedness and view. In both groups, after being informed whether the five-petal daisy represented a flower or human hand, an uninformative flower was presented for 200 ms in the center of the screen. After 1000 ms, a second flower was presented in the same location until the observer responded by pressing a left or right switch. The results showed that prior presentation of the five-petal daisy affected MRT only when the figure represented a human hand. Furthermore, an opposite effect of view on MRT was found. The shorter MRT to the back (dorsal) view of the figure that represented a human hand could be attributable to a faster response to the dorsal view of a hand figure made with a prone posture of the participants' hand than to a front (palm) view. The longer MRT to the back view of the figure that represented a flower may be due to a mental rotation of the object along its vertical axis before selecting the correct response because the response was based on the position of the asymmetrical petal in the canonical front view of the daisy.

Stimulus affective valence reverses spatial compatibility effect

In spatial compatibility tasks, the Reaction Time to right-side stimuli is shorter for right key responses (compatible condition) than for left key responses (incompatible condition) and vice-versa for left-side stimuli. Similar results have been found when the stimulus location is not relevant for response selection, such as in the Simon task. The Simon effect is the difference between the reaction times for non-corresponding and corresponding conditions. The Simon effect and its variants may be modulated by using emotional stimuli. However, until now, no work has studied how the affective valence of a stimulus influences spatial compatibility effects along the horizontal dimension. The present study investigated this issue by using small lateralized figures of soccer team players as stimuli. In the experiment, a compatible or incompatible response was chosen according to the team shirt. In one block, for the Favorite team, the volunteers had to press the key on the same side as the stimulus hemifield but the opposite-side key for the Rival team. In the other block, a reverse code had to be used. Fourteen right-handed volunteers were tested. Mean reaction times were subjected to analysis of variance with the following variables: Preference (Favorite/Rival), Hemifield (Left/Right), and Response Key (Left/Right). A three-way interaction was found (F1,13 = 6.60, p = .023), showing that the spatial compatibility effects depended on Preference. The Favorite team player elicited the usual spatial compatibility pattern, but for the Rival team player, the reverse effect was found, with incompatible responses being faster than compatible responses. We propose that this modulation may result from approach/avoidance reactions to the Favorite and Rival teams, respectively. Moreover, we suggest as a corollary that the classic spatial compatibility task is a powerful tool for investigating approach/avoidance effects.

Left-right judgment of haptic stimuli representing the human hand

The handedness recognition of visually perceived body parts engages motor representations that are constrained by the same biomechanical factors that limit the execution of real movements. In the present study, we used small plastic cutouts that represented the human hand to investigate the properties of mental images generated during their haptic exploration. Our working hypothesis was that any handedness recognition task that involves body parts depends on motor imagery. Forty-four blindfolded, right-handed volunteers participated in a handedness evaluation experiment using their index finger to explore either the back or palm view of a haptic stimulus that represented the human hand. The stimuli were presented in four different orientations, and we measured the subjects' response times. Our results showed that stimulus configurations that resemble awkward positions of the human hand are associated with longer response times (p < .006), indicating that the haptic exploration of stimuli that represent body parts also leads to motor imagery that is constrained by biomechanical factors

Efeito priming entre figuras de partes do corpo / The priming effect with pictures of body parts / El efecto priming entre figuras de las partes de lo cuerpo

Um estímulo visual (letra, palavra ou objeto) pode ter um efeito duradouro sobre o processamento de estímulos subsequentes. Neste trabalho, investigamos o efeito priming de figuras de mãos humanas (esquerda/direita, vista palmar/dorsal) sobre o Tempo de Reação Manual (TRM) em uma tarefa usando as mesmas figuras como estímulo alvo. Os pares de figuras podiam ser iguais ou não, de acordo com parâmetros como lateralidade ou vista. Três experimentos foram realizados (lateralidade, vista e cor). Neles, a figura de uma mão não-informativa era apresentada por 200 ms no centro de uma tela de computador. Após 1000ms, uma segunda mão era apresentada no mesmo local até a resposta, a qual consistia em pressionar o interruptor esquerdo ou o direito dependendo da lateralidade (Exp. I), da vista(Exp. II) ou da cor (Exp. III) do estímulo alvo. Os resultados mostraram que a apresentação prévia da figura de uma mão influencia o TRM ao segundo estímulo apenas quando a seleção da resposta é baseada em uma característica corporal (lateralidade ou vista).

The previous presentation of a visual stimulus (letter, word, and object) can have a lasting effect on the visual processing of subsequent stimuli. Here, we investigated the priming effect of drawings of the human hand (left/right hand, back/palm view) on the Manual Reaction Times (MRT) in a task using the same drawings as test stimuli. In a given trial, the two drawings could be matched (or not) for parameters such as laterality or view. Three experiments were performed exploring combinations of the parameters above. In all experiments, a non-informative drawing appeared for 200ms in a computer display and 1000ms later a second drawing appeared at the same location and remained on until the right or left switch was pressed to indicate the laterality (Exp. I), view (Exp. II) or color(Exp. III) of the target stimulus. The results show that presentation of the picture of a human hand influences MRTs to the second stimulus only when response selection is based on a body feature (handedness or view).

Un estímulo visual (letra, palabra o objeto) puede tener un efecto duradero en el procesamiento de los estímulos posteriores. En este estudio, hemos investigado el efecto priming de las figuras de manos humanas (izquierda/derecha, vista palmar/dorsal) en el Tiempo de Reacción Manual (TRM) en una tarea utilizando las mismas figuras como estímulo objetivo. Los pares de figuras pueden ser iguales o no, de acuerdo a parámetros tales como la lateralidad y vista. Tres experimentos se llevaron a cabo (lateralidad, vista y color). En los experimentos, la figura de una mano non informativa se presentó durante 200 ms en el centro de una pantalla del computador. Después de 1000 ms, una segunda mano se presentó en el mismo lugar hasta una respuesta la cual consistia en presionar un interruptor izquierdo o uno derecho dependiendo de la lateralidad (Exp. I), de la vista (Exp. II), o del color (Exp. III) del estímulo objetivo. Los resultados mostraron que la presentación previa de la figura de una mano influencia en el TRM para el segundo estímulo sólo cuando la selección de respuesta se basa en una característica corporal (lateralidad o vista).

Deficiência visual e plasticidade no cérebro humano / Visual impairment and cerebral plasticity in the human brain / Deficiencia visual y plasticidad cerebral

O ser humano é capaz de analisar o mundo à sua volta por meio de informações provenientes das diversas modalidades sensoriais. A percepção do mundo a cada momento envolve a integração dessas informações em áreas multissensoriais existentes no cérebro humano. Dessa forma, podem-se imaginar as profundas transformações que ocorrem no cérebro após a perda de uma aferência sensorial. Estudos anatômicos, fisiológicos e comportamentais em animais têm sugerido que mudanças plásticas compensatórias devem também ocorrer nos seres humanos, alterando as conexões do córtex visual com os córtices somestésico e auditivo. Utilizando as novas idéias sobre as áreas multimodais e metamodais, pretendemos analisar como ocorre a reorganização dos sentidos remanescentes após a perda da visão.

Humans are able to analyze the world through information derived from various sensory modalities. After the loss of a given sense, anatomical, physiological and behavioral studies have shown that compensatory plastic changes take place in the cortex, first through the unmasking of synaptic contributions from other modalities, even in primary sensory areas. This fact underscores the metamodal theory of sensory cortical function and can be used to devise effective strategies to train the blind to compensate their loss through better use of the remaining sensory modalities.

El ser humano es capaz de analizar el mundo que lo rodea a través de información de las diversas modalidades sensoriales. La percepción del mundo en cada momento implica la integración de información multisensorial en las áreas existentes en el cerebro humano. Así, uno puede imaginar los profundos cambios que ocurren en el cerebro después de la pérdida de un aferente sensorial. Los cambios anatómicos, fisiológicos y de comportamiento en animales han sugerido que los cambios compensatorios plásticos también debem ocurrir en los seres humanos, cambiando las conexiones de la corteza visual con las cortezas auditivas y somestésicas. Con nuevas ideas sobre las áreas multimodal y metamod, analizamos la reorganización de los sentidos restantes después de la pérdida de la visión.

Recognition of hand shape drawings on vertical and horizontal display

The visual recognition of body parts activates somato-motor representations in the brain. In the present study, we investigate the influence of the plane in which hand drawings are displayed (Vertical or Horizontal) on mental rotations evoked by a handedness recognition task. Sixteen right-handed volunteers participated in an experiment where the task was to evaluate the handedness of drawings of the human hand presented in different perspectives and orientations while the Manual Reaction Time (MRT) was measured. For eight volunteers, the hand drawings were displayed on a vertical screen monitor, while for the remainder a mirror was employed and the same drawings appeared on the horizontal plan. Our main finding was that there are no differences in MRTs among the drawings displayed vertically or horizontally, with some exceptions. However, the MRTs were longer when the hands in the drawings assumed configurations that were more awkward to perform using real movements. These results show that the implicit movements involved with handedness recognition are mainly dependent on biomechanical constraints for distal (hand), but not proximal (shoulder) movements.

Manual responses to visual stimuli: early and late facilitatory effects due to the offset of a peripheral cue

Manual and saccadic reaction times (MRTs and SRTs) are reduced when a warning signal precedes the onset of a target. The decreasing on SRTs observed after the offset of a fixation point has been called the gap effect. Different theories have been proposed to explain it. According to some authors, the offset also allows the saccadic system to generate a separate population of SRTs, the express saccades. Nevertheless there is no agreement about the influence of the offset of a peripheral stimulus on MRT. In two experiments we tested the effects of a peripheral visual offset used as preparatory signal on MRTs to a target after variable intervals. We found a reduction on MRT at short (200-300ms) and long (1300-2000ms) intervals after the peripheral offset. MRT distribution shifted toward short latencies ,which sometimes formed a separate population. Since MRTs obtained at long intervals were affected by the introduction of catch trials, while MRTs at short intervals were not, we propose that two different mechanism are involved in the decreasing of MRTs: warning and temporal expectancy. Our data support the hypothesis that the temporal component involved with the preparatory stages for motor responses can be shared by saccadic movements and key press responses, allowing the reduction on motor latencies after the visual offset in the gap paradigm. Our data corroborate the three components model for the gap effect. In our view, the question of the existence or not of a gap effect for manual responses is essentially conceptual.

The retinal distribution of ganglion cells with crossed and uncrossed projections and the visual field representation in the opossum

The retinal distribution of ganglion cells with crossed and uncrossed projections in the South American opossum, Didelphis marsupialis, was revealed by delivering HRP to one optic tract or to retinal targets of one hemisphere. The cells with uncrossed projections are restricted to the temporal retina, comprising 1/3 of the total retinal area, with a sharp transition at the naso-temporal boundary. Besides being distributed over the nasal 2/3 of the retina, cells with crossed projections are intermingled with those with uncrossed projections over the entire temporal retina. Quantitative analysis about the representation of the horizontal meridian on four specimens revealed that the maximun density of cells with uncrossed projection is on the average located at 3.2 mm (SD = 0.21), i.e. 34.8 deg, temporal to the optic disk, falling to 10% at 2.1 mm (SD = 0.14) or 22.8 deg. On the otherhand, the peak for cells with crossed projections is more nasally placed at 1.8 mm (SD=0.18), i.e. 19.6 deg. Between these two maxima, the site where in the densities of cells with crossed and uncrossed projections are about equal is on the average about 2.7 mm (SD = 0.25) form the optic disk, i.e. 29.3 deg. This estimate supports the hypothesis that the retinal itersection of the vertical meridian lies within the region of split representation of crossed and uncrossed ganglion cells. In addition, it was observed that the opossum's retina has a large contingent of cells with uncrossed projections temporal to an eccentricity of 2.7 mm from the optic disk, where it represents roughly 2/3 of the ganglion cells. These data corroborate the relevance of the opossum as a non-primate model for visual work