Time course analyses of orthographic and phonological priming effects during word recognition in a transparent orthography. Issue 10 (October 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zeguers, M. H. T.; Snellings, P.; Huizenga, H. M.; van der Molen, M. W.
• Is Part Of: Quarterly journal of experimental psychology. Volume 67:Issue 10(2014)
• Page Start: 1925
• Page End: 1943
• Publication Date: 2014-10
• Subjects: Time course analysis -- Masked priming -- Visual word recognition -- Orthographic and phonological code activation -- Orthographic depth; Psychology, Experimental -- Periodicals; Psychophysiology -- Periodicals; Psychology, Comparative -- Periodicals; 150.72405
• DOI: 10.1080/17470218.2013.879192
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1747-0218

Abstract

In opaque orthographies, the activation of orthographic and phonological codes follows distinct time courses during visual word recognition. However, it is unclear how orthography and phonology are accessed in more transparent orthographies. Therefore, we conducted time course analyses of masked priming effects in the transparent Dutch orthography. The first study used targets with small phonological differences between phonological and orthographic primes, which are typical in transparent orthographies. Results showed consistent orthographic priming effects, yet phonological priming effects were absent. The second study explicitly manipulated the strength of the phonological difference and revealed that both orthographic and phonological priming effects became identifiable when phonological differences were strong enough. This suggests that, similar to opaque orthographies, strong phonological differences are a prerequisite to separate orthographic and phonological priming effects in transparent orthographies. Orthographic and phonological priming appeared to follow distinct time courses, with orthographic codes being quickly translated into phonological codes and phonology dominating the remainder of the lexical access phase.