Comparisons of reaction time patterns in a sequential visual recognition task with simple geometric forms

Right isosceles triangles, which differed in size and orientation, were presented in a sequential visual recognition task. Subjects produced an identity match response if the first self-presented stimulus, now in memory, was identical to a sequentially presented stimulus and a nonidentity match response if the subsequently presented stimulus differed in either or both size and orientation. The pattern of nonidentity recognition reaction times produced was compared to predicted patterns deduced from several theories of form information processing. The pattern of responses for both group and individual data were better described by serial and parallel self-terminating models with probabilistic assumptions than they were by template or deterministic serial or parallel models. A second study, in which identity and nonidentity response bias was equated, found that the identity responses were significantly faster than nonidentity responses, supporting wholistic processing for the identity matches and, when combined with the nonidentity match results, supporting a dual process theory.