Effect of Stroop Interference on Cognitive Reaction Time among College Students in Lipa City

A growing consensus understands the Stroop Interference as a phenomenon involving conflict and cognitive control. Research shows that incongruent stimuli create a conflict when trying to focus on both elements. It was hypothesized that people would take longer to recognize mismatched colors compared to matched colors, which can significantly impact cognitive reaction times. This study examined the Effects of Stroop Interference on Cognitive Reaction Time Among College Students in Lipa City. The researchers used a within-subject design and convenience sampling method to select participants. The sample of the study consisted of 54 college students that had equal distribution of male and female who took the same condition, such as congruent and incongruent stimuli. The researchers used paired sample t-tests to see if there's a significant difference in cognitive reaction time. Results indicated that incongruent stimuli significantly delayed cognitive reaction times compared to congruent stimuli, emphasizing the competition between automatic processes (like reading) and controlled processes (such as color identification). Participants scored faster cognitive reaction time with congruent stimuli than with incongruent ones, suggesting that they were more inclined to focus on the word itself rather than its color. The implication of the study in the real world highlights that cognitive biases can impede decision-making, especially under pressure or when faced with conflicting information and underscores the importance of educational strategies to improve reading skills and attention in children. The study emphasizes the significance of these findings and recommends that future researchers explore the Stroop effect in various countries, particularly in Southeast Asian and Asian nations, as most existing research has primarily focused on Western concepts.