The perception of familiar stimuli

A model is described for the processing of word-like (regular) and non-word-like (irregular) letter strings in a situation where either type of string may occur. It is proposed that each type of string is processed by specialised routines which are deployed contingently on an initial decision about the regularity of an item. Three experiments involving word/nonword and same/different responses investigate how the processing of a string is affected by the brief exposure of a prior string. It is shown that processing is interfered with less when both strings are of the same degree of regularity than when they are not. The model is revised and extended in the light of the results obtained as well as some theoretical considerations.