The influence of number of features in the lexical decision task: a study in young and older adults

Prior research has shown that the number of semantic features (NoF) facilitates lexical decision performance in young adults, supporting the role of feedback activation from semantics to orthography in visual word recognition. However, evidence is scarce regarding possible changes in such processes throughout adulthood. The present study aims to investigate whether and to what extent the effect of NoF in visual word recognition changes with age. In total, 54 young adults (M = 21.4 years) and 52 older adults (M = 69.7 years) performed a go/no-go lexical decision task in which half of the words were associated with a high NoF and the other half with a low NoF. The main finding was that the NoF effect on lexical decision latencies modulated according to age. While both young and older adults exhibited a reliable benefit from high NoF words compared to low NoF words, this effect was smaller in older adults. This reduced facilitatory effect of NoF in older adults could not be attributed to differences in vocabulary or reading habits nor does it reflect age-related slowing, as the interaction between NoF and age groups remained after controlling for these individual differences. These findings suggest an age-related change in feedback activation from semantics to orthography in visual word recognition.