title: Masked priming of number judgments depends on prime validity and task.
abstract: The influence of brief masked primes (42 or 50 msec) on number target judgments is shown to be highly sensitive to the list-wide validity of the primes for performing a particular target task. Odd/even judgments were facilitated on parity-valid trials (e.g., 1-7) relative to parity-invalid trials (e.g., 6-7), especially when .8 rather than .2 of the trials were parity valid. The opposite pattern was observed with magnitude judgments relative to 5: Responses were facilitated on magnitude- valid trials (e.g., 6-7) relative to magnitude-invalid trials (e.g., 1-7), especially when .8 of the trials were magnitude valid. These results are consistent with Bodner and Masson's (2001) claim that a processing episode constructed during a masked prime event is more likely to be recruited when there is a high probability that it will facilitate responding to the target.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada. bodner@ucalgary.ca
authors.forename: Glen E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Bodner
authors.forename: Audny T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Dypvik
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007600:Judgment; D010470:Perceptual Masking; D011930:Reaction Time; D012858:Size Perception