Negative stimulus–response compatibility observed with a briefly displayed image of a hand

Manual responses can be primed by viewing an image of a hand. The left–right identity of the viewed hand reflexively facilitates responses of the hand that corresponds to the identity. Previous research also suggests that when the response activation is triggered by an arrow, which is backward-masked and presented briefly, the activation manifests itself in the negative priming effect. The present study showed that response activation, which is produced by an identity of a briefly presented image of a hand, can be similarly associated with a negative priming effect. However, in contrast to the previously reported negative priming effects, the hand stimuli produced negative priming even when the hand was not backward-masked and did not contain task-relevant information. The study supports the view that the automatic inhibition of motor activation triggered by briefly viewed objects is a general and basic functional principle in exogenous motor control processes.

► The influence of a briefly viewed image of a hand on responses was investigated.
► Responses were made slower in compatible than in incompatible conditions.
► This effect was observed when the prime–target interval was between 50 and 200 ms.
► Similar negative priming was observed when the prime hand was displayed parafoveally.
► Self-inhibition can be revealed by briefly viewing naturalistic stimuli.