Contextual priming effects in perceptual identification

Abstract

The proportion of contextually related priming pairs was manipulated in a perceptual identification task to determine the relative contributions of automatic and controlled processes to performance. Subjects studied a set of sentences and then identified prime-target pairs consisting of (1) two words from the same studied sentence (related context), (2) two words from different studied sentences (unrelated context), or (3) a nonword prime and a word from a studied sentence (neutral context). When the identification test list included a high proportion of contextually related pairs, facilitation for related-context pairs and inhibition for unrelated-context pairs were observed relative to comparable nonstudied pairs. In the low-proportion condition, performance was unaffected by the proportion manipulation. Based on these results, we argue that contextual effects in perceptual identification reflect the operation of controlled processes. There is substantial evidence that prior experimental facilitate identification. The procedures for this experipresentation of words can promote better perceptual iden-ment were adapted from Ratcliff and McKoon (1978). In tificationof those words in a subsequenttest (e.g., Jacoby, their work, subjects were presented with a set of sentences 1983; Jacoby & Dallas, 1981; Jacoby & Witherspoon, and were subsequently given a recognition reaction-time 1982). Jacoby and colleagues argued that this facilitation test for a list of words, some of which were old words in performance is largely due to enhanced perceptual that had appeared in the sentences, whereas others were fluency for the previously experienced items, with per-new words. Reaction times were faster for old words that ceptual fluency being essentially related to the sensory followed other old words from the same clause or senproperties of the words. Sensory-based perceptual fluency tence. On the basis of subsequent experiments , Ratcliff appears to be the major process underlying perceptual and McKoon (1981) concluded that these priming effects identification performance when the situation involves are due to automatic processes. relatively unorganized lists of independent words during A method that is typically used to differentially manipuinitial exposure and later test. However, Jacoby also late automatic versus controlled processes involves varyspeculated that semantic processes can contribute to per-ing the proportion of target items that instantiate the receptual identification performance in cases in which con-lation that is of central interest. For example, Ratcliff and textual factors are available to support such meaning-McKoon (1981, Experiment 1) varied the proportion of related processes. For example, Jacoby (1983, Experi-appropriate priming pairs in the recognition test. The ment 1) demonstrated that perceptual identification varies degree of priming observed should be affected by this as a function of the proportion of old words in the test proportion manipulation if priming is at least partially a list. In add...