The durational threshold of visual recognition as a function of word-frequency.

Word-frequency as determined by counts of selected groups of texts has been shown to be an important variable in determining the durational threshold for the recognition of isolated words presented tachistoscopically. Howes has shown that even when legibility of single letters, letter pairs, etc., is not controlled,' correlations on the order of -0.65 or -0.75 are obtained for the durational threshold and the logarithm of the frequency of words as given in the ThorndikeLorge tables.2 These results have been of great significance in the criticism of the experiments which have been presented as demonstrating the effect of values and needs on perception.3 Solomon has attempted to examine this perception-time and frequency-relationship in a more rigorous setting in which word-frequency could be directly controlled instead of being estimated from relatively crude methods of counting words. This experiment, which is reported by Solomon and Postman, demonstrated an extremely high relationship (-0.96) between the two variables.4 In view of the importance of this relationship to research in the area of perception and verbal behavior, the present experiment was performed to see if the relationship was stable under slightly different conditions.