Action plans produce separate Simon effects for picking up and transporting objects

A common type of interaction with the environment is reaching to move an object from one location to another. We investigated the influence of spatial stimulus–response (S–R) compatibility effects on the planning of such multi-reach actions. Participants responded to a cue on their left or right side by picking up a bean (initial reach) and then placing it in a container (goal reach). In three experiments, the initial reach and the goal reach were varied so that both reaches were to opposite sides (Exp 1), the initial reach was neutral (Exp 2), and both the initial and goal reaches were on the same side (Exp 3). The participants’ reaction time to begin the initial reach was measured. Results showed that the spatial compatibility between the cue and both the initial and goal reaches contribute to the reaction time, with the relation between the cue and the initial reach playing a dominant role.