Response-Stimulus Interval Duration Modulates Interference Effects in the Stroop Task

In the Stroop task, incongruent stimuli (e.g. "red" printed in blue) induce a robust interference effect. The impact of both the changes in the duration of the interval between the subject's response and the next stimulus (RSI) and the development from childhood to adulthood on the size of the interference have not been systematically studied. We have therefore tested the modulation of within-task RSI (from 1000 to 5000 ms) on the interference effect in 8-10 years old children and young adults. Results disclose a stronger interference effect for the shortest RSI duration (1000 ms) in both adults and children, indicating more effective inhibitory processses for longer RSI durations. Moreover, similar interference effect were found between children and adults suggesting that both groups are similarly affected by interference. Taken together, these results suggest that inhibitory processes require a certain amount of time to develop.