Spatial S-R compatibility effect with head rotation

Abstract

The effects of signal modality (visual and auditory), hand condition (crossed and uncrossed), and head orientation (upright, right_90, left_90, and left_back) on response performance were examined in this study. The results showed all the factors significantly affected the reaction time of participants and there was an interaction effect between signal modality and head orientation. Responses for visual signals were significantly faster than those for auditory signals, and responses made with uncrossed hand were superior to those with crossed hand. On head orientation, upright orientation produced the fastest reaction time, while reaction time for head rotated 90° right (right_90) was significantly faster than that for head rotated 90° left (left_90) and rotated left backward (left_back). Regarding the significant interaction effect between signal modality and head orientation, processing time for visual signals was always faster than that for auditory signals. Such modality superiority increased to a larger extent under the left_90 and left_back head orientations. The findings in this experiment provide some practical ergonomics recommendations for improving control console design in terms of signal-response layout, stimulus-hand arrangement, head orientation, and methods of presenting visual and auditory signals.