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Comparing the Frequency Effect Between the Lexical Decision and Naming Tasks in Chinese
Published on: April 1, 2016
Word recognition during reading: the interaction between lexical repetition and frequency
Matthew W Lowder1, Wonil Choi, Peter C Gordon
1Department of Psychology, CB#3270, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-3270, USA.
Memory & Cognition
|January 4, 2013
Summary
Repetition priming effects in reading are stronger for low-frequency words, especially during initial reading. Later processing shows repetition effects independent of word frequency, suggesting dual influences on eye movements.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Psycholinguistics
- Reading Science
Background:
- Repetition priming effects differ between long-term memory (greater for low-frequency words) and short-term masked priming (frequency-independent).
- The relationship between word frequency and repetition priming during natural reading remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how word frequency influences repetition priming during natural text reading.
- To determine whether early or later processing stages better reflect frequency-dependent repetition effects.
Main Methods:
- An eyetracking-while-reading experiment was conducted.
- Proper names with manipulated frequencies (high vs. low) were used.
- Repetition priming was assessed by re-reading the same name later in the text versus introducing a new name.
Main Results:
- First-pass reading times and skipping rates showed a significant interaction: repetition priming was larger for low-frequency names than for high-frequency names.
- Measures of later processing (e.g., regressions, re-reading) revealed repetition effects that were not modulated by word frequency.
Conclusions:
- Early stages of natural reading, reflected in first-pass measures, exhibit frequency-dependent repetition priming, aligning with long-term memory effects.
- Later processing stages show frequency-independent repetition effects, suggesting distinct lexical and discourse-level influences on eye-movement control during reading.
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