Effects of Prior Experience on Judgments of Normative Word Frequency: Automatic Bias and Correction

Four experiments examined repetition priming effects on judgments of normative word frequency. Experiment 1a found reliable priming, but only when words were studied under conditions of full attention; divided attention eliminated the effect. Experiment 1b replicated the attention effects and found that frequency and recognition judgments could be dissociated as a function of study repetition. Experiment 2 showed that Levels of Processing could also dissociate the two judgments. Posthoc latency analyses of the data from Experiments 1 and 2 showed the biasing of frequency judgments to be limited to the subjects’ fastest responses; slower responses showed no bias effects. Experiment 3 replicated the latency effects using an instructional manipulation of response speed. Posttest interviews in all of the experiments suggested that the bias correction seen in the slower responses occurred without awareness or intent. The results extend prior research on repetition priming to a semantic judgment about a well-known class of stimuli and are discussed in terms of processing fluency, source monitoring, and the correction of unconsciously influenced judgments. © 2002 Elsevier Science (USA)

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