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Educational level and the word frequency effect: a lexical decision investigation
M J Tainturier1, M Tremblay, A R Lecours
1Centre de recherche du Centre Hospitalier Côte-des-Neiges, Montréal.
Brain and Language
|October 1, 1992
Summary
Higher education reduces the impact of the word frequency effect on reading speed. More educated individuals show a smaller difference in word recognition speed compared to less educated individuals.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Psycholinguistics
- Educational Psychology
Background:
- Word recognition speed and accuracy are influenced by word frequency (the frequency effect).
- The relationship between educational attainment and the word frequency effect requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine how educational level modulates the word frequency effect in lexical decision tasks.
- To test the hypothesis that higher education diminishes the magnitude of the word frequency effect.
Main Methods:
- A lexical decision experiment was conducted with 40 neurologically healthy adults.
- Participants were divided into two groups based on educational level: average 18 years (higher education) vs. average 11 years (lower education).
- Reaction times for word recognition were measured and analyzed for frequency effects.
Main Results:
- Significant frequency effects on reaction times were observed in both educational groups.
- The magnitude of the word frequency effect was significantly greater in the less educated subgroup compared to the more educated subgroup.
Conclusions:
- Educational level plays a role in modulating the word frequency effect.
- Increased exposure to lower-frequency words due to higher education may reduce the impact of word frequency on recognition speed.
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