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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 12, 2026

Comparing the Frequency Effect Between the Lexical Decision and Naming Tasks in Chinese

Comparing the Frequency Effect Between the Lexical Decision and Naming Tasks in Chinese

Published on: April 1, 2016

Context effects on lexical choice and lexical activation.

Jörg D Jescheniak¹, Ansgar Hantsch, Herbert Schriefers

¹Department of Psychology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany. jdj@uni-leipzig.de

Journal of Experimental Psychology. Learning, Memory, and Cognition

|October 27, 2005

Summary

Speakers choose object names based on context, but even inappropriate alternatives are activated. This study reveals how context influences lexical choice and activation in language production.

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Area of Science:

Psycholinguistics
Cognitive Psychology
Linguistics

Background:

Speakers select from various lexical alternatives (e.g., basic-level 'car' vs. subordinate 'Beetle') when naming objects.
Contextual factors significantly influence the choice of lexical items in object reference.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate how target name level (basic vs. subordinate) and contextual appropriateness affect lexical activation and choice.
To determine the impact of contextual constraints on the selection and activation of object names.

Main Methods:

Picture-word interference experiments were conducted.
The study manipulated the designated target name (basic vs. subordinate level) and contextual constraints.

Main Results:

Contextual factors demonstrably influence the final lexical choice.
Phonological activation of non-selected object names occurs, even when contextually inappropriate.

Conclusions:

Context plays a crucial role in guiding lexical selection during object naming.
Linguistic processing involves the activation of non-selected alternatives, highlighting the complexity of lexical access.