The Stroop test demonstrates an exceptional reaction of the brain, enabling for assessing the neuropsychological functions. The assessment confirms the Stroop effect, where “the processing of a specific stimulus feature impedes the simultaneous processing of a second stimulus attribute” (Scarpina & Tagini, 2017). Responses to the examination allow to evaluate the ability to inhibit cognitive interference. The following essay will elaborate on the psychological implication of the Stroop test and its impact on neuroscience, as well as explore its influence on behavioral patterns.
Definitions
Behaviorism – is a psychological approach that is based on objective facts rather than subjective processes, such as emotions and feelings (APA Dictionary of Psychology, n.d.-a).
Cognitive psychology – the branch of psychology that explores the operation of mental processes related to perceiving, attending, thinking, language, and memory, mainly through inferences from behavior (APA Dictionary of Psychology, n.d.-b).
Neuroscience – is a science about the human nervous system and its psychological science applications (APA Dictionary of Psychology, n.d.-c).
How do the Stroop Results Challenge the Assumptions of Behaviorism and Support the Assumptions of Cognitive Psychology?
The results of the Stroop test vividly demonstrate the ability of the brain to quickly process the displayed information. It is an excellent tool for confirming behaviorism as the assessment confirms multiple neuroscientific theories such as the selective attention or automaticity theories, which prove that reading is a more automated process and ensure the behaviorism theory. However, from the psychological perspective, the Stroop test illustrates how a person processes the information, their ability to overcome the instincts and be in control.
How can the Stroop Results Benefit Neuroscience?
The Stroop test results significantly help neuroscience study human brains’ responses and their ability to take control over the instincts. The Stroop effect immensely benefited the research and confirmation of many scientific theories, one of them being selective attention. Most importantly, the Stroop test facilitates in analyzing people with certain cognitive and nervous system diseases. It helps effectively identify brain injury and plays a significant role in studies on neuroscience.
Are Errors Made When Taking the Stroop Test due to Problems in Mind Or the Brain?
The Stroop test can be predisposed to errors due to the development of certain brain reactions. It takes advantage of the more developed ability to read than to identify colors, therefore showcasing the inability to effectively multitask. Our fast thinking cannot always correctly react to the portrayed content; therefore, absolute results of the Stroop test can display the level of a person’s ability of controlled thinking, selective attention, and cognitive processes. Certain consequences of the examination may reveal ADHD, other mental problems, and traumatic brain injury.
Could Anything Help Someone do better (Or Worse) on this Assessment?
Training the response to the Stroop test has proven to benefit various groups of people. The research discovered that practicing the reaction to the test has a more significant influence on the cognitive response among older adults; thus, shows the enhancement in the cognitive abilities across all age groups (Burger et al., 2019). Additionally, the person’s eventual increase in intellectual abilities plays a beneficial effect on the assessment outcomes. On the other hand, the development of mental illnesses and acquisition of brain injuries significantly worsen the cognitive responses and negatively influence the performance on the test.
The Stroop effect plays a vital role in psychology and neuroscience, helping identify the responses of the cognitive system. The Stroop test is of critical significance to science, revealing how the brain of a person functions through a simple interactive assessment. It proves that the brain faces difficulties between the different interference of words and colors, showcasing how responsive is the mind. The speed of response may be trained through multiple means; however, it can also worsen due to the development of certain diseases.
References
APA Dictionary of Psychology. (n.d.-a). Behaviorism. American Psychological Association. Web.
APA Dictionary of Psychology. (n.d.-b). Cognitive psychology. American Psychological Association. Web.
APA Dictionary of Psychology. (n.d.-c). Neuroscience. American Psychological Association. Web.
Burger, L., Fay, S., Angel, L., Borella, E., Noiret, N., Plusquellec, P., & Taconnat, L. (2019). Benefit of practice of the Stroop Test in young and older adults: Pattern of gain and impact of educational level. Experimental Aging Research, 46(1), 52–67. Web.
Scarpina, F., & Tagini, S. (2017). The Stroop color and word test.Frontiers in Psychology, 8. Web.