Dynamic adjustment of lexical processing in the lexical decision task: Cross-trial sequence effects

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Psychology
• Psycholinguistics
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Growing interest in dynamic changes within the lexical processing system across trials.
• Previous research often utilized linear mixed-effects modeling to assess these changes.
• Understanding trial-to-trial variability is crucial for accurate models of reading and word recognition.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the influence of previous trial lexicality and perceptual degradation on current trial processing.
• To examine the interaction between prior trial context and current stimulus properties.
• To provide empirical evidence for lingering effects in lexical decision tasks.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of three datasets, including two previously published studies and one new study.
• Utilized statistical modeling to assess interactions between trial variables.
• Examined effects of lexicality (word vs. nonword) and perceptual degradation (clear vs. degraded).

Main Results:

• Evidence for a robust four-way interaction among previous and current trial lexicality and degradation.
• Priming effects of relevant dimensions (clear/degraded, word/nonword) modulate current trial processing.
• Demonstrated significant carry-over effects from previous stimulus and response to the current trial.

Conclusions:

• Lexical decision tasks exhibit robust lingering effects from previous trials.
• Participants cannot fully isolate task systems to the current trial.
• Findings support the importance of on-line eye-tracking measures for studying word-level reading processes, as emphasized by Keith Rayner.