Stroop effect in working memory

In preschoolers

Submitted to: Dr. Summaya Batool.

Submitted by: Qurat-ul-Ain.
Warda Razaq.
Sania Riaz.
Naila Gul.
Abidah Raheem.
Qurat-ul- Ain
ROLL # 40
introduction
Summary/ AbstrACT

• intended to find interference of stroops among preschoolers in

working memory.
• Stroop color-word test used to assess working memory, which was
developed by J.R Stroop, and reaction time.
• Sample consisted of pre-school participants.
• The experimental method was the repeated measurement. The
reaction time for both conditions was substantially different.
• It was observed that, because of the duration, the higher the
cognitive pressure, the longer the child would respond, and the
more interference involvement in pre-school children.
Stroop Effects 
• The Stroop effect is an example of cognitive intervention, where
there is a pause in a task's response time due to a discrepancy
of stimuli.
• The influence was also used to construct a psychological test (the
Stroop test). It is also one of the longest-standing, recorded by
Stroop, J.R in (1935) the purpose in its simple form is to name
the color in which a word is written, avoiding the very word. If
the word is a color word written in an ink color that is not
matched, this is very hard to do, resulting in a slow answer
that is prone to mistakes.
• The results impact in the mismatch condition-generally referred
to as the incongruent condition is called the Stroop effect or
Stroop interference relative to the controls.
Stimuli in the paradigms of stroops.
• semantic interference: naming the color of neutral stimuli (e.g. if the color of the
ink and the term do not conflict with each other) is quicker than in incongruous
situations. This is called semantic interference because it is widely known that the
sense relationship between ink color and word is at the center of the
interference.

• semantic facilitation, describes the observation that naming the ink of congruent
stimuli is quicker (e.g. when the color of the ink and the word match) than when
there are neutral stimuli (e.g. stimulus 3; when there is only one colored
stimulus).

• asynchrony Stroop, when the task consists of reading the word instead of
naming the color of the ink, both semantic intervention and facilitation stop. It
was explained by a decreased precision when naming colors compared to reading
words.
Theories of stroops effects 
• Processing speed theory. This hypothesis indicates that there is a difference in the ability of the
brain to perceive the word's color, because the brain reads words quicker than it recognizes colors. this
is based on the assumption that word processing is faster than color perception. In a case where there is
a disagreement between terms and colors (e.g., Stroop test) if the objective is to identify the color, the
word information appears at the decision-making stage before the color information causing
uncertainty in the processing.

• The selective attention theory. Predicts that more focus is required to identify color, as opposed to
reading a word. The brain needs to be more selective about recognizing a color than encoding a word,
so it takes a little longer by the responses add more to the interaction noted in the Stroop test. It can
arise either in the allocation of resources to the response or from a higher control of incorrect answers
which are not suitable responses.
Theories of stroops effects 
• Automaticity. implies that there is difficulty in reacting because understanding colors is not a
"simple process;" while the brain immediately understands the meaning of words as a result
of the normal read. This concept is based on the assumption that automatic reading doesn't
have to be supervised, but still uses appropriate careful tools to minimize the amount of
attention required for color information processing.

• The Cognitive Developer. Believes that the role of Stroop often demonstrates the ability to regulate
actions. If the participant is asked to report the color of the ink instead of the word, he can resolve the
primary and stronger stimulus to read the word. These inhibitions show the brain's capacity to control
behavior
Working Memory 
• Working memory capacity (WMC), as calculated by complex span: asks, predicts performance
in complicated mental activities such as leading programming languages, multitasking. The conception
of working memory that shares short-term memory similarity, but aims to counter short-term memory
simplification by incorporating the knowledge manipulation function has emerged.

• Some studies have reported that WM training also often promotes skills such as visuospatial WM and
short-term memory (STM), but also strengths outside of the WM context, such as fluid intelligence and
math.

• Researches: Working memory and reaction inhibition are two different but interlinked executive
processes critical for goal driven behaviors. reaction inhibition involves the suppression of automatic,
reactive responses, while working memory includes the ability to retain and manipulate information,
and monitor and guide attention.

• The origin of these structures strongly depends on the prefrontal cortex, which tends to evolve into
early adulthood.
Theories on Working Memory
• Baddeley's multi-component model: it is the basis for capturing WM output. This consists of a
central management framework that manages the encryption and recovery of resources and tracks shifts
in focus.
•Central manager: frequently manages and manipulates data stored in two subsystems. It plays a
critical role to control decision-making and activities; correct information, as well as the destruction of
irrelevant information and inappropriate activities, are taken into consideration.
•The phonological loop: stores verbal and linguistic information. Visuospatial drawing pad that stores
visual and spatial information. It consists of two control systems, one for visual information and the other
for spatial information. 

•  Episodic  buffer:  is a third subsystem used for the temporary storage of limited capacity and can
connect information across domains through integrated visual, spatial and verbal inputs in long-term
memory.
 Stroop effects and Working memory (WM).

• WM association with higher-order cognition Evidence for this argument derives in part from the evidence
that WMC variability predicts success on fairly "fast" tasks of attention, such as the color-word Stroop
(1935) test. Individuals will name the color in which a word shows thus avoiding the meaning of the word. 

• Interference — in the form of delayed or false response — is created in incongruous trials, where the word
clashes with the color (e.g. RED in blue), compared with either congruent trials, where the word fits the
color (e.g. BLUE in blue), or neutral trials, where the word is unrelated to the color (e.g. Bad in blue or
TXJF in blue). Subjects with higher WMC encounter less colourword interference than those with lower
WMC interference, WMC outcomes are filtered by the degree to which the nature of the task impacts goal-
maintenance capabilities and vice versa.

• Most executive functions, such as reaction inhibition and working memory, perform distinct roles and
evolve through different trajectories, frequently examining the production and function of these mechanisms
in isolation. However, there is evidence that inactivation of response and working memory are
consequent procedures and that working memory is essential for successful inhibition of response.

• In the Stroop task, participants are asked to determine quickly and accurately the color in which a word is
represented, whereas avoiding the semantic sense of the word. The Stroop task is one especially well-suited
method for researching the relationship between reaction inhibition and working memory.
 Warda Razaq
Roll number: BPYF17M-039
rationale
obejectives
hypothesis
 Rationale
The aim of the study was to find out the impact of Stroop effect on the working memory of the
preschoolers. The present study emphasizes that the Stroop effect is the key to success in the
working memory of preschoolers. Researchers gave very importance to these variables. This
relationship was underestimated in previous research also.
(Baddeley & Hitch, 1974) investigate the relationship of working memory and Stroop interference.
They claim that the individual differences in working memory capacity reflect limitations on the
ability to inhibit task irrelevant information. Individual differences in working memory matters a lot.
High and low-capacity individuals differed in their susceptibility to interference on the Stroop task.
He performed two experiments in which they investigate the working memory. In experiment 1, he
found that High-capacity individuals employed a strategy for minimizing Stroop interference. These
participants showed substantial interference when conflict trials were infrequent. In experiment 2,
he found that High-capacity individuals employed substantial negative priming, slow responses when
the to-be-named color was the irrelevant word on the previous trial. High-capacity participants
scored greater than the low-capacity participants. High span individuals showed less interference
than did low span individuals, but only in the context of frequent conflict trials. They were as
vulnerable to interference from irrelevant information as were as low span individuals.
These researchers gave a motivation for studying the patterns of working memory among
preschoolers. In geographical context of Pakistan, most of the researchers conducted research
regarding Stroop effect in working memory.
objectives
 To investigate the impact of Stroop effect on the working memory of
preschoolers.
 To examine the distortion caused by Stroop influence in pre-school working
memory.
 To investigate the effect of Stroop intervention among preschoolers on the
working memory.
 To investigate the effect of demographics (age, gender) on variable
analysis.
hypothesis

 Stroop effect will positively predict the working memory

of the preschoolers.
 Female gets higher scores on Stroop affects as compared
to the male.
 There will be a great difference between the two
conditions of reaction time.
 There will be the great disparity between the male and
female reaction time.
 Abida raheem
roll number: 48
 Operational definitions
• Stroop Effect: The Stroop Color and Word Test (SCWT) is a
neuropsychological test extensively used to assess the ability to
inhibit cognitive interference that occurs when the processing
of a specific stimulus feature impedes the simultaneously
processing of a second stimulus attribute, well-known as a
Stroop effect.
• Working memory: Working memory is a cognitive system with
a limited capacity that can hold information temporarily.
Working memory is important for reasoning and the guidance
of decision-making and behavior.
•
 Method
•Research Design: The experimental study design was carried out where the repeated
test was administered to the respondents to evaluate the time of reaction in two
situations.
•Sample: Participants were approached through purposive sampling. Participants of
the study comprised of N=100 Preschooler’s child (n=56 boys, n=44 girls). Data was
collected from different schools’ child.
•Instruments: Stroop color and word Test. The Stroop Color and Word Test is based
on the observation that individuals can read words much faster than they can
identify and name colors. The cognitive dimension tapped by the Stroop is associated
with cognitive flexibility, resistance to interference from outside stimuli, creativity,
and psychopathology—all of which influence the individual’s ability to cope with
cognitive stress and process complex input. It measures cognitive processing and
provides valuable diagnostic information on brain dysfunction and cognition.
Name: Sania Riaz
Roll no. BPYF17M0-20
topic :
procedure
results
 Procedure
• The present study investigate stroop effect in working
memory of preschoolers (3 to 5 years of age) ,( N= 100)
for each participant (n= 20).
• The instruments or operational tools would be applied on
preschoolers to check the working memory of childerens,
their attention is diverted what are the effect of their
working memory.
• A tool of stroop effect test both (word set # 1& word set
#2) and working memory tool applied on preschoolers and
note their response and reaction time in which they respond.
• We conduct stroop effect in two experiments; experiment 1 (word set
1) is randomly names of colour while experiment 2 ( word set 2) is
attention diverted and difficult to read and understand and take
much time and effort.
• All childerens are not same intelligent ability or not have same IQ
level and working memory. Some have high IQ and working memory
and some have low. After collecting data results would be compared
of each children to check how much stroop effect test is effected
their working and short term memory.
• Participants were given a modified version of Daneman and
Carpenter’s (1980) reading-span test as a measure of their working-
memory capacity.
• We examined their performance on conflict trials (i.e., saying “green”
in response to the word red in green print) compared with their
performance on neutral trials (i.e., saying “green” in response to in
green print
 Results
• In the present study, we investigated the relation between performance
on a test of working-memory capacity and Stroop effect in a group of
preschoolers ( 3 – 5 y).
• The findings show that stroop effect have very strong effect on working
memory of preschoolers.
• The total no . Of participants is 100, 51 females and 49 males.
• The mean standard deviation for set 1 is 6.567 and for set 2 is 11.7488.
• The overall result show that on set 2 preschoolers take more time to
response.
• Females scored high on stroop effect in this experiment.
• Some CHILDERENS which have high IQ level, response quickly
on both set of stroop effect .
• Some childerens which have normal IQ LEVEL, response slowly
with attention on both set of stroop effect.
• Some childerens have very low IQ level ,lazy, poor reader and
perception response normally on first set but very slowly
response on set 2.
• Some females scored high and some males socred high on stroop
effect.
• But overall result is females were sharp .intelligent and response
quickly.
 Discussion

NAILA GUL
BPYF17M-004
REGULAR
Discussion (Continue)
• The aim of the current study was to examined

• 1) the impact of Stroop effect on working memory of preschoolers and so the first hypothesis was
formulated “Stroop effect will positively impact the working memory of the preschoolers” and it was
supported. The previous findings of the researches are that Stroop performance is eased by working
memory and are positively related. Working memory help a person maintain and process the information.
As one has good working memory one has good stroop performance and it increases with age. A study was
conducted by Al-Hassan and Duell (2017) aimed at describing the developmental trajectories of accuracy
and response time on the Stroop, determining how working memory facilitates Stroop performance, and
examining whether the effect of working memory on Stroop performance differs across age groups.

• Results indicate that Stroop performance does indeed differ across development and between working
memory groups, and that the observed age differences depend upon working memory capacity. Within the
high working memory group, response time becomes faster between 10-17 years, and then begins to slow
between 18 and 30 years. Within the low working memory group, response time becomes faster between
10-21 years, and begins to slow between 22 and 30 years. Furthermore, whereas adult levels of accuracy
are achieved relatively early among participants with high working memory (by 14-15 years), accuracy
does not reach adult-like levels until 16-17 years among participants with low working memory.
Discussion (Continue)
• According to Kiyonaga and Egner (2014) holding a color word in
working memory had interference for an intervening perceptual
identification task of a color patch, with noticeably slower color-
identification performance when the color word and the color patch
were incongruent than when they were congruent.

• 2) To find out the effect of gender on high scores on stroop effect and so
the second hypothesis was made “Female gets higher scores on stroop
effect as compared to male” and it was rejected. Thus, previous
researches explain that females develop quickly and are sharper than
their male’s counterpart. Their response time is less than males.
 Discussion
• 3) To find the difference of reaction time between the two experimental
conditions and so the third hypothesis was made “There will be a great
difference between the two conditions of reaction time” and it was supported.
According to Kiyonaga and Egner (2014) color-identification performance
was significantly slower when the color patch and the color word were
incongruent than when they were congruent. So, there was great difference of
response time between the two conditions. 4) To determine the difference
between the reaction time of both genders and so the fourth hypothesis was
made “There will be great disparity between male and female reaction time”
and was supported. Girls of preschool age responded quickly than boys. In a
study conducted by Balart and Oosterveen (2019) girls tend to perform worse
than males on math and science tests, but they perform better on verbal
reading tests and girls are better able to sustain their performance than to
boys. According to another study conducted by Jaint (2010) females see more
colors than males they are quicker than males at color perception.
 Practical Implications
• The current research has applied significance.
• 1) It is helpful to health psychologists and professionals as Stroop effect can be used to
assess many neurological and psychiatric disorders.
• 2) It is essential in basic cognitive processes and operations, and in neuro-cognitive
structure.
• 3) The experiment can be helpful for many researchers, educational, health, and clinical
psychologist as it increases a new knowledge.
• 4) The research can be used for academic purpose.
• 5) It help to identify any disorder in the person as it measure the intentional process of
color-naming and automatic process of word reading. If both have great conflict then it can
indicate a big problem.
• 6) It can help cognitive and developmental psychologist as both genders and different age
levels are discussed and response time is calculated.
Conclusion
• The research was conducted to measure the impact of Stroop
effect on working memory of preschooler’s, determining how
working memory facilitates Stroop performance, response time
on the Stroop, and examining whether the effect of working
memory on Stroop performance differs across both gender
groups. The findings of the research are that Stroop
performance is eased by working memory and are positively
related, there was a great difference between the reaction times
of both blocks while having gender difference too. The effect of
working memory on Stroop performance differs among male
and females and females get lower scores on effect.
References
• Balart, P., & Oosterveen, M. (2019). Females show more sustained performance
during test-taking than males. Nature communications, 10(1), 1-11.

• https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-019-11691-y

• Jaint, N., Verma, P., Mittal, S., Mittal, S., Singh, A. K., & Munjal, S. (2010). Gender
based alteration in color perception. Indian J Physiol Pharmacol, 54(4), 366-70.

• https://www.researchgate.net/publication/51220934_Gender_based_alteration_in_colo
r_perception

• Kiyonaga, A., & Egner, T. (2014). The working memory Stroop effect: When internal
representations clash with external stimuli. Psychological science, 25(8), 1619-1629.

• https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0956797614536739