Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 22, 2026
13:51
Cross-Modal Multivariate Pattern Analysis
Published on: November 9, 2011
Subliminal number priming within and across the visual and auditory modalities
Sid Kouider1, Stanislas Dehaene
1Laboratoire des Sciences Cognitives et Psycholinguistique, EHESS/CNRS/ENS-DEC, Paris, France. sid.kouider@ens.fr
Experimental Psychology
|June 9, 2009
Summary
Masked number priming involves semantic processing, not just practice. Priming effects transfer across senses and generalize to new numbers, indicating deeper cognitive involvement.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Psycholinguistics
Background:
- The underlying mechanisms of masked number priming are debated, with theories suggesting either low-level sensorimotor routes or amodal semantic processing.
- Alternative explanations include practice effects or underestimated stimulus awareness.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether masked number priming extends to novel, unpracticed stimuli.
- To determine if priming transfers from visual to auditory targets under controlled stimulus awareness.
- To elucidate the level of processing involved in masked number priming.
Main Methods:
- Four experiments were conducted to test repetition and congruity priming for numbers.
- Stimulus awareness was carefully controlled.
- Cross-modal priming (visual to auditory) was examined.
Main Results:
- Consistent cross-modal priming was observed.
- Generalization of priming to novel stimuli was weaker but significant across all experiments.
- Priming effects were modulated by task settings.
Conclusions:
- Masked number priming involves amodal, semantic level processing.
- Priming is not solely a byproduct of practice.
- Task settings play a role in modulating number priming effects.
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