Sequential effects in lexical decision: tests of compound-cue retrieval theory.
According to compound-cue retrieval theories, responses in lexical decision are determined by a passive process that matches a compound of the items in short-term memory against all of the information in long-term memory. Because responses depend on other items in short-term memory in addition to the target item about which a lexical decision is required, compound-cue theories must predict sequential effects and priming effects. For example, a nonword preceding a target should slow responses to the target, and a prime word related to a target word can affect responses to the target even when another item intervenes between them. In this article, the results of 4 experiments are presented and sequential effects are shown to be in accord with compound-cue theory.
Ratcliff
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R
Psychology Department, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA.
McKoon
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G
D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention; D003463:Cues; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall; D010153:Paired-Associate Learning; D011578:Psycholinguistics; D011930:Reaction Time; D011932:Reading; D012153:Retention, Psychology