The joint Simon effect: A review and theoretical integration

• Main Authors: Thomas eDolk, Bernhard eHommel, Lorenza S Colzato, Simone eSchütz-Bosbach, Wolfgang ePrinz, Roman eLiepelt
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2014-09-01
• Series: Frontiers in Psychology
• Subjects: Joint Action; social cognition; review; stimulus-response compatibility; joint Simon effect; referential coding
• Online Access: http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00974/full

The social or joint Simon effect has been developed to investigate how and to what extent people mentally represent their own and other persons’ action/task and how these cognitive representations influence an individual’s own behavior when interacting with another person. Here, we provide a review of the available evidence and theoretical frameworks. Based on this review, we suggest a comprehensive theory that integrates aspects of earlier approaches–the Referential Coding Account. This account provides an alternative to the social interpretation of the (joint) go-nogo Simon effect (aka the social Simon effect) and is able to integrate seemingly opposite findings on joint action.