Simon says: Reliability and the role of working memory and attentional control in the Simon task
Open accessAbstract
The Simon effect refers to the observation that subjects identify targets (e.g., colors) faster when the irrelevant spatial location of the target corresponds to the location of the response key. Theoretical accounts of the Simon effect typically explain performance in terms of automatic and controlled processes. Furthermore, the relative contributions of automatic and controlled processes are held to change as a function of the proportion of compatible to incompatible trials (compatibility proportion). Data are presented demonstrating that the reliability of the Simon effect, indexed by correlating its magnitude within subjects across blocks of trials, varied substantially as a function of the compatibility proportion. When the compatibility proportion was high, so was reliability. When the compatibility proportion was low, reliability was low as well. The results are discussed in terms of the relative reliability of automatic and controlled processes and the role of working memory and attentional control in goal maintenance.
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The Simon task taps basic spatial response inhibition.
“Given that the Stroop task draws on semantic conflict resolution and higher-order attentional processes (Macleod, 1992), whereas the Simon task taps basic spatial response inhibition (Borgmann et al., 2007)”
From Problematic social media use and cognitive performance in young adults: Associations with selective attention and inhibitory control (2026) · cites this paper as Borgmann et al., 2007
The section “Compatibility Proportions and Reliability in Simon (1990)” describes the Simon task as reflecting basic cognitive processes and a conflict between an automatic spatial response and a controlled response. It does not identify response inhibition specifically as the process the task measures; the Discussion instead emphasizes working memory and attentional control in maintaining the task goal. Page numbers are unavailable in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.82)
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Cites
Dimensional overlap: cognitive basis for stimulus-response compatibility-a model and taxonomy
Kornblum, S., Hasbroucq, T., & Osman, A. (1990) · Psychological Review · doi:10.1037/0033-295x.97.2.253 · Cited by 1,970 · see citing works
Kane, M. J., & Engle, R. W. (2003) · Journal of Experimental Psychology: General · doi:10.1037/0096-3445.132.1.47 · Cited by 1,725 · cited 10× · see citing works
“(1995) and Kane and Engle (2003). The pattern of reliabilities found here does not support the predictions we derived from the Toth et al. (1995) account. We suggested that, if the associative automatic route were reliable, the .25- and .75-compatible conditions should have yielded greater reliability than the .50 con…”
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Measuring attentional bias to threat: reliability of dot probe and eye movement indices
Waechter, S., Nelson, A. L., Wright, C., Hyatt, A., & Oakman, J. (2014) · Cognitive Therapy and Research · doi:10.1007/s10608-013-9588-2 · Cited by 324 · see citing works
Sisí, C., Pallesen, S., & Fernández-Martín, M. P. (2026) · Journal of Behavioral Addictions · doi:10.1556/2006.2025.00576
- Authors
- Borgmann, K. W. U., Risko, E. F., Stolz, J. A., & Besner, D.
- Affiliations
- University of Waterloo (CA)
- Corresponding author
- Borgmann, Karl W. U.
- Venue
- Psychonomic Bulletin & Review
- Published
- 2007-04
- Volume
- 14
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 313-319
- ISSN
- 1069-9384 (ISSN-L)
- 1531-5320
- OpenAlex
- W1993022174
- Cited by
- 35
- References
- 2
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 4 · 2021: 1 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 3 · 2014: 3 · 2013: 3 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 0.83
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- Psychonomic Bulletin & Review (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- University of Waterloo
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Cognitive Abilities and Testing
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neurobiology of Language and Bilingualism
- Keywords
- Simon effect, Simon task, reliability statistics, automatic and controlled processes, working memory, attentional control, goal maintenance, response compatibility
- MeSH terms
- Attention, Goals, Humans, Memory, Short-Term, Psychological Theory, Psychology, Reaction Time, Social Control, Informal, Reproducibility of Results
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