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Distinguishing Controlled and Automatic Processes
- Based on the processing speed explanation, the Stroop task has gained wide acceptance as a method for distinguishing between controlled and automatic processes.
- If process A interferes with process B, but process B does not interfere with process A, then process A is automatic and process B is controlled.
- An interesting challenge arises when a task such as color naming is identified as both controlled and automatic, by varying the other task involved.
- Color naming is identified as a controlled process when the other task is word reading, but as an automatic process when the other task is shape naming (MacLeod and Dunbar, 1988).
