The importance of irrelevant-dimension variability in the Stroop flanker task

Two experiments in which the Stroop flanker task was used were conducted in order to examine the influence of irrelevant dimension invariance on congruency effects. Participants responded manually to a central color patch flanked by a Stroop stimulus. In Experiment 1, invariance in flanker location was found to have no influence on word and color congruency effects. In contrast, invariance of flanker identity led to the disappearance of congruency effects. Experiment 2 indicated that the elimination of a congruency effect was restricted to the dimension that remained constant and did not influence the congruency effect of the other dimension that was presented at the same location. Results suggest that variance is a prerequisite to congruity effects, determining the activation of irrelevant dimensions.