Strategy affects compatibility: Evidence from a coal mine shuttle car simulator

A virtual analogy of an underground coal mine shuttle car, where the control-response relationship is compatible when driven in one direction and incompatible in the other, was used to collect data from 34 male adults. Data were grouped according to participants' self reported strategies. Fifteen participants (Auto+Rule group) reported that steering around the miner in compatible trials felt "automatic" or "natural", and they used a "rule" during incompatible trials. Compatibility effects were found for both steering direction errors and reaction, and these effects remained in the final block. Seven participants (Rule+Rule group) used a "rule" for both compatible and incompatible trials, and although an error rate compatibility effect was found it was not evident during the final block. The Rule+Rule group made more steering direction errors than the Auto+Rule group, particularly in compatible trials. No reaction time compatibility effect was found for the Rule+Rule group. In summary, compatibility effects were not evident for all participants, or for all dependent measures. This result argues that compatibility effects may be strategy dependent and that the use of retrospective debriefing may be a valuable methodology in compatibility research