Effect of Prime Type on Lexical Decision Time

The present investigation concerns the issues of the control condition and type of related prime-target relationship operationalization in the lexical-decision paradigm. It is shown that the use of a row of asterisks produces strong inhibitory effects on reaction time to the target relative to a control condition formed with the word “neutro” (“neutral”). The operationalization of prime-target relatedness by means of association of category norms seems equally adequate, although category exemplars do not prime category exemplar targets. Both sets of data are discussed in relation to current research trends using lexical-decision time.