Nonword Repetition Priming in Lexical Decision Reverses as a Function of Study Task and Speed Stress

  • Zeelenberg, René
  • Wagenmakers, Eric-Jan
  • Shiffrin, Richard M.
Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition 30(1):p 270-277, January 2004.

The authors argue that nonword repetition priming in lexical decision is the net result of 2 opposing processes. First, repeating nonwords in the lexical decision task results in the storage of a memory trace containing the interpretation that the letter string is a nonword; retrieval of this trace leads to an increase in performance for repeated nonwords. Second, nonword repetition results in increased familiarity, making the nonword more “wordlike,” leading to a decrease in performance. Consistent with this dual-process account, Experiment 1 showed a facilitatory effect for nonwords studied in a lexical decision task but an inhibitory effect for nonwords studied in a letter-height task. Experiment 2 showed inhibitory nonword repetition priming for participants tested under speed-stress instructions.

Copyright © 2004 by the American Psychological Association