In search of perceptual priming in a semantic classification task.
Four experiments tested for perceptual priming for written words in a semantic categorization task. Repetition priming was obtained for low-frequency words when unrelated categorizations were performed at study and test (Experiment 1), but it was not orthographically mediated given that written-to-written and spoken-to-written word priming was equivalent (Experiments 2 and 3). Furthermore, no priming was obtained between pictures and words (Experiment 4), suggesting that the nonorthographic priming was largely phonological rather than semantic. These results pose a challenge to standard perceptual theories of priming that should expect orthographic priming when words are presented in a visual format at study and test.
Bowers
Jeffrey S
JS
University of Bristol, Department of Experimental Psychology, Bristol, England. j.bowers@bris.ac.uk
Turner
Emma L
EL
D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention; D003463:Cues; D003657:Decision Making; D004193:Discrimination Learning; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term; D008875:Middle Aged; D010153:Paired-Associate Learning; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual; D011578:Psycholinguistics; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D011930:Reaction Time; D011932:Reading