Does across-trial target behavior influence representational momentum?

Abstract

Whether behaviors of targets presented on other trials could influence representational momentum of a current target was examined. In Experiment 1, each participant received a stimulus set in which (a) 80% of trials presented a moving target and 20% of trials presented a stationary target or (b) 20% of trials presented a moving target and 80% of trials presented a stationary target. In Experiment 2, each participant received a stimulus set in which (a) 80% of trials presented rightward motion and 20% of trials presented leftward motion, (b) 50% of trials presented rightward motion and 50% of trials presented leftward motion, or (c) 20% of trials presented rightward motion and 80% of trials presented leftward motion. Representational momentum of a moving target was not influenced by whether the majority of other trials in the stimulus set presented a stationary target, motion in the same direction, or motion in the opposite direction. The results suggest that behavior of targets on other trials was not effective in creating expectations that influenced representational momentum of the current target. Implications for theories of representational momentum are noted.