Do handwritten words magnify lexical effects in visual word recognition?. Issue 8 (2nd August 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Perea, Manuel; Gil-López, Cristina; Beléndez, Victoria; Carreiras, Manuel
• Is Part Of: Quarterly journal of experimental psychology. Volume 69:Issue 8(2016)
• Page Start: 1631
• Page End: 1647
• Publication Date: 2016-08-02
• Subjects: Visual-word recognition -- Handwritten words -- Word frequency; Psychology, Experimental -- Periodicals; Psychophysiology -- Periodicals; Psychology, Comparative -- Periodicals; 150.72405
• DOI: 10.1080/17470218.2015.1091016
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1747-0218

Abstract

Abstract : An examination of how the word recognition system is able to process handwritten words is fundamental to formulate a comprehensive model of visual word recognition. Previous research has revealed that the magnitude of lexical effects (e.g., the word-frequency effect) is greater with handwritten words than with printed words. In the present lexical decision experiments, we examined whether the quality of handwritten words moderates the recruitment of top-down feedback, as reflected in word-frequency effects. Results showed a reading cost for difficult-to-read and easy-to-read handwritten words relative to printed words. But the critical finding was that difficult-to-read handwritten words, but not easy-to-read handwritten words, showed a greater word-frequency effect than printed words. Therefore, the inherent physical variability of handwritten words does not necessarily boost the magnitude of lexical effects.