Action of Noise on Latencies of Responses to a Repeated Verbal Stimulus Related to Variety

Abstract

Free-word association has been used to observe how white noise affects latencies of responses to repeated presentations of a stimulus word. We already know that noise acts on a pattern of responses to decrease their variety and increase their repetition. We also know that variety of response in free-word association is related to higher latency. If variety of responses persists in the presence of noise, their latency will be even higher. Finally, white noise inhibits a cognitive activity by reducing its variety or its speed.