Final answer:
The correct answer is A) Decrease; Increase. This question deals with the Stroop effect, demonstrating that it takes longer to process the color of a word when its meaning conflicts with the color it's written in.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct answer is option A) Decrease; Increase. This question is referring to a cognitive psychology phenomenon known as the Stroop effect, where an individual's reaction time in a task is affected by a cognitive interference. When the name of a color (e.g., "Blue") is printed in a color not denoted by the name (e.g., the word "Blue" printed in red ink), naming the color of the word takes longer and is more prone to errors than when the color of the ink matches the name of the color.
The Stroop effect occurs because the brain's processing of the word meaning interferes with the processing of the color perception, leading to slower reaction times when the word and the color do not match. Therefore, Carla's reaction time is likely to decrease when the word and ink are the same color due to less cognitive interference, and increase when they are different colors due to the added interference.