The snake in the grass revisited: An experimental comparison of threat detection paradigms

Abstract

The current investigation compares the results of two commonly used visual detection paradigms—the standard adult button-press detection paradigm used in Öhman, Flykt, and Esteves (2001), and the new child-friendly touch-screen detection paradigm used in LoBue and DeLoache (2008)—within the same samples of adult participants. Results suggest that both paradigms produce the same pattern of findings with regard to detection latency for threat-relevant versus threat-irrelevant stimuli: Adults detected threat-relevant targets more quickly than threat-irrelevant targets across the varying procedures. However, results with respect to automaticity of detection as suggested by Öhman et al. (2001) were only replicated with the classic button-press paradigm. The findings validate the touch-screen visual search procedure and have important implications for choosing an appropriate methodology for studying threat detection.

Keywords:

• Threat
• Perception
• Detection

We would like to thank Siewli Stark, Ivonne Humann, Karina Llangari, Millind Adari, Karolyna Fernandez, Sadreika Williams, Lisa Panilla, Lisa Francis, Jaishree Singh, Rocio Ipanaque, Teresa Harvey, and Helena Parnicky for their valuable assistance conducting the research, and Katy Ann-Blacker, Megan Geerdts, Teresa Harvey, and Barbara Graniello for help with manuscript preparation.

We would like to thank Siewli Stark, Ivonne Humann, Karina Llangari, Millind Adari, Karolyna Fernandez, Sadreika Williams, Lisa Panilla, Lisa Francis, Jaishree Singh, Rocio Ipanaque, Teresa Harvey, and Helena Parnicky for their valuable assistance conducting the research, and Katy Ann-Blacker, Megan Geerdts, Teresa Harvey, and Barbara Graniello for help with manuscript preparation.