The modality-specific and -nonspecific components of long-term priming are frequency sensitive.
Five experiments were carried out to test the claim that the modality-specific and modality-nonspecific components of long-term priming are differentially sensitive to word frequency, with the specific component being less affected. In contrast with this claim, specific and nonspecific priming were similarly reduced for high-frequency words in three lexical decision and two perceptual identification experiments. These findings highlight the important role of frequency in modulating priming as well as provide a basic constraint for future theories of priming. In addition, the roles of task and student population in modulating priming are examined.
Bowers
J S
JS
Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, England. j.bowers@bris.ac.uk
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002755:Choice Behavior; D003463:Cues; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual; D011214:Practice, Psychological; D014495:Universities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014706:Verbal Learning; D014936:Word Association Tests