Prof. G.

Ram Reddy Centre for Distance Education

Project Title: A Study on Stroop effect among government and private high school
students.
A mini project for Experimental Psychology

Sindhuja.S.Iyer (94-15-26091)

The Stroop effect describes an experiment about the time it takes to name the colour of
printed words. When you try to name the colour in which colour words are printed, it takes
longer when the colour word differs from the ink colour than when the colour word is the
same as the ink colour. This project is an interesting understanding of how Stroop effect
has an impact on the high school students from government and private schools. Does the
school have an impact on the extent of the Stroop effect?

Contents
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

Introduction
Review of Literature
Methodology
Procedure
Precautions
Results
Table -1
Table -2
Discussion

10. Conclusion
11. Practical Application
12. References
13.

94-15-6091
Sindhuja.S.Iyer

Introduction:

Stroop effect can be defined as finding out that naming the colour of the first set of words is
easier and quicker when compared to that in the second. Stroop effect. In psychology, the
Stroop effect is used as a demonstration of the effect of interference in the reaction time of a
task.

Attention is the behavioural and cognitive process of selectively concentrating on a discrete

aspect of information, whether deemed subjective or objective, while ignoring other
perceivable information. Attention has also been referred to as the allocation of limited
processing

resources.

(Anderson,

2004,

p.

519)

The Stroop Effect theory was first proposed and observed by John Ridley Stroop in 1935
(Stroop, 1935)

, and observes the way our brain processes these words. People tend to process the

letters so quickly, whereas it is difficult to utter the names of the colour rather than the words.

The Stroop effect is a classic cognitive psychology experiment where the person (subject) is
trying to name the colour that a word is printed it, and it has been observed that it takes
longer if the word is also a colour word, but a different colour. So, it is takes more amount of
time to name the colour green if the word printed in green is "red".

The most common explanation for this effect deals with what we call as the response
competition (Lien, 2002).The response to both the colour and the word are formed but we can

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Sindhuja.S.Iyer

only make one response at a time. The response to the word is a little faster than the response
to the colour so it interferes with our attempt to name the colour. The fact that we respond
faster to the word is often taken as an example of automaticity where some responses are
processed automatically without our conscious processing (Marmurek, 2003).

Why does this happen?

Stroop believes the reason that it is easier saying the colour rather than the word, as our brain
processes information in association with pre-existing knowledge or meaning. So, when we
see the word 'blue' we immediately think of the colour blue, which conflicts with us trying to
say the ink colour. The part of the brain, which gives a response when there are two
conflicting signals is believed to be the area called the anterior cingulate, near the front of the
brain.
The process that chooses between conflicting signals is known as directed attention. This
stops us saying one thing in order to say another. There is an on-going research into a directed
attention and how it plays a part in our everyday life.

94-15-6091
Sindhuja.S.Iyer

Methodology:
Statement of the Problem: To Study the impact of Stroop effect among
government and private high school students.

Objectives:
1. To demonstrate the phenomena of Stroop effect among high school students.
2. To study the differences in Stroop effect among government and private school students.

Hypothesis:
1. Stroop effect will occur among high school students.
2. There will be no significant difference in the Stroop effect among government and private
school students.

Variables:
Independent Variable: Presentation of names of colors, word names, word names
written in various colors of ink.

Operational Definition: A chart consisting of names of colors, i.e., red, green, blue, and
yellow were written in different colors of ink, was used as the independent variable.

Dependent Variable: Time taken and the number of errors committed.

Operational Definition: There is a tendency to read the word names of the colors
instead of the colors of the ink, in which the words are written.

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Sindhuja.S.Iyer

Materials Required:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Chart consisting of the colors printed in black (word page)

Chart consisting of the non-verbal symbols (XXXX), color page.
Chart consisting of names of the colors written in different colors of ink (word-color page).
Stopwatch, screen

Description of the material:

1.

Stroop chart 1 consists of 60 words, i.e., names of the colors (word names) written

Participants selected: 60 subjects (30 from techno school and 30 from government
school) of high school age (13-15) were included in the study. All the subjects had English
exposure at school and were capable of understanding basic level instructions. All the
participants were school going children, from school that have English as a medium of
instruction and had cleared middle school. All had a vision which is normal or corrected to
normal.

Procedure:

The experiment was conducted in three stages where every subject was shown a set of cards
(one card in each level), and was asked to read out the contents on the card. The subject was
given clear instructions before each of the three levels to ensure that there was no confusion
that

Card 1 (or Level 1):

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Sindhuja.S.Iyer

The subjects were shown incongruent stroop test mini cards (in which the first set of card had
60 words printed in black and white) and the subjects were asked to speak out the words as
fast as possible.

Card 2 (or Level 2):

This was followed by presenting them with the second card, which has 60 cross marks
(XXXX) written in different colors. And the subjects were asked to read out the color of the
ink in which the items were written on the cards and the reaction time (RT) taken by each of
the subject was measured using a stopwatch.

94-15-6091
Sindhuja.S.Iyer

Card 3 (or Level 3):

Then the final set of card, which has incongruent list of words (word and ink were of
different colors) were presented. The subject was then asked to read out the ink color and not
read out the word as quickly as possible.

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Sindhuja.S.Iyer

The Stroop effect experiment is conducted as a classic example of psycholinguistics and the
findings lead to the understanding of how we attach meaning to words, how we process
language in our mind and what parts of the brain process and control language.

The classic demonstration of the Stroop effect is produced when one tries to name the color
of the ink in which a word is printed when the word itself is the name of a color other than
that of the ink. Typically, one is slower in this situation than if the word is not a color term.
This form of Stroop interference is thought to be evidence for the automatic nature of
reading. Automatic in this context refers to an activity, such as reading, that is so well
learned that it is occurs even when one attempts to suppress it. The interference probably
arises when different words in the mental lexicon representing the color terms are activated
by both the words and the ink color and compete with one another, slowing the overt
response.

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Sindhuja.S.Iyer

Precautions:
1. Care was taken that the cards were not visible to the subject before the start of
the experiment.
2. Care was taken to see that the subject understood the instructions carefully.
3. In spite of the errors, the subject was made to continue with the responses.

Results:
Table 1 showing the data of group (from private school) under conditions 1,2, and 3
Table 2 showing the data of group (from government school) under conditions 1,2, and 3

Table 1:
Group Data of Private School:
Condition 1
Error
Time
s
Taken
2.833 41.8333
333
333

Condition 2
Error
Time
s
Taken
4.566 45.5333
667
333

Condition 3
Error
Time
s
Taken
8.133 68.6666
333
667

Graph 1:

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90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0

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Table 2:
Condition 1
Err
Time
ors
Taken
41.86666
3
67

Condition 2
Time
Errors
Taken
4.3333 46.0666
33
667

Condition 3
Time
Errors
Taken
7.9666 82.4666
67
667

Group 2:
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0

Discussion:
Results of Table 1:
The above results are indicative of the fact that the subjects from private school
took an average of 41.8333333 seconds of time and committed an
average of 2.833333 number of errors in condition number 1. In condition
number 2, the subjects took an average of 45.5333333 seconds of time
and committed 4.566667 number of errors. In condition 3, the subjects

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took an average of 68.6666667 seconds of time and committed 8.133333

number of errors.
Results of Table 2:
The above results are indicative of the fact that the subjects from private school
took an average of

41.8666667seconds of time and committed an

average of 3 number of errors in condition number 1. In condition

number 2, the subjects took an average of 46.0666667 seconds of time
and committed 4.333333 number of errors. In condition 3, the subjects
took an average of 68.6666667

seconds

of

time

and

committed

7.966667number of errors.

A keen observation of the data from both the groups indicates that the time
taken and the number of errors committed for condition 1 is less than that
in condition 2 and 3. Also it has been observed that there is no significant
difference in the level of stroop effect among high school students of
government and private school. Thus, the Hypothesis is accepted.

Conclusion:
Stroop effect has been demonstrated in high school students, irrespective of the
school they study in and the level of stroop effect is almost the same in
both the schools, with a slight difference in the time taken being
observed, which was high in government school by a few minutes.
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Practical Application:
This demonstration of stroop effect on high school students from government
and private school, helps us understand that there is an automatization
effect that takes place, even in the simplest of tasks like reading, driving,
writing, etc., and some difference will interfere with the performance.

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Bibliography:
Andreson, J. R. (2004). Cognitive Psychology and its implications 6th ed). Worth Publishers.

Baron, K., Alansari, B., (2006). Gender differences in performance on the stroop test. Social behavior
and personality: An International Journal. 34 (3); 309-317

Davidson, D.J., Zacks, R.T., (2003). Stroop Interference, Practice and Aging. Aging, neuropsychology
and cognition. 10(2); 85-98

Dulaney, C.L, Rogers, W.A., (1994). Mechanisms underlying reduction in stroop interference with
practice for young and old adults. Journal of experimental psychology: Learning, Memory and
Cognition. 20 (2); 470-484

Dyer, F.N., (1971). Color naming interference in monolinguals and bilinguals. Journal of verbal
learning and verbal behavior. 10 (3); 297-302

Golden, C. J., (1976). Identification of brain disorders by the Stroop color and word test. Journal of
Clinical Psychology. 32; 654-658.

Hasher, L., Zacks, R.T., (1988) Working memory, comprehension, and aging: A review and a new
view. The psychology of learning and motivation. 22; 193225

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Hisashi, U., Kohei, K., (2002). A basic study of automatic dementia diagnosed with Stroop Effect.
Bulletin of Nagaoka. 24; 75-80

Houx, P.J., Jolles, J., Vreeling F.W., (1993). Stroop interference: Aging effects assessed with the
Stroop Color-Word Test. Experimental Aging Research. 19 (3); 209224

Jensen, A. R., (1965). Scoring the Stroop Test. Acta Psychologia. 24; 398-408.

Kramer, A.F., Hahn, S., Gopher, D., (1999) Task coordination and aging: Explorations of executive
control processes in the task switching paradigm. Acta Psychologica. 101; 339378.

Langenecker, S.A., Nielson, K. A., Rao, S.M., (2004). fMRI of healthy older adults during Stroop
interference. Neuroimage. 21(1); 192- 200

MacLeod, C.M., (1991) Half a century research on the Stroop Effect: an integrative review.
Psychological Bulletin. 109; 163-203

Lien, M.-C. &. (2002). Stimulus-response compatibility and psychological refractory period effects:
Implications for response selection. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 9(2), 212-238.

Marmurek, H. H. (2003). Coloring only a single letter does not eliminate color-word interference in a
vocal-response Stroop task: Automaticity revealed. Journal of General Psychology 130(2), 207-224.

Stroop, J. R. (1935). Studies of interference in serial verbal reactions. Journal of Experimental

Psychology, Vol 18(6).

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94-15-6091
Sindhuja.S.Iyer