Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Negative priming between pictures and words in a selective attention task: Evidence for semantic processing of ignored stimuli

  • Published:
Memory & Cognition Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study examined the processing of ignored pictures and words when attention was directed to a different picture or word. Previous work by Tipper (1985) demonstrated that the priming effect of an ignored picture on a subsequent categorically related picture is inhibitory. This effect was termednegative priming. Tipper concluded that ignored pictures achieved abstract categorical levels of internal representation, and that these representations were inhibited during selection of a simultaneously presented picture. This conclusion, however, was premature. Observation of the figures used by Tipper suggests that objects within a category have greater structural similarity than do objects in different categories. The negative priming effect could therefore be at a structural level of representation. The present study examined priming across symbolic domains (pictures and words) where there was no structural relationship between objects. Negative priming was again observed and was equivalent to the negative priming observed within symbolic domain. These data suggest that ignored drawings and words do achieve abstract categorical levels of representation, and that the mechanisms underlying negative priming operate at, or beyond, this level.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Allport, D. A. (1980). Attention and performance. In G. Claxton (Ed.),Cognitive psychology: New directions (pp. 112–153). London: Rout-ledge & Keegan Paul.

    Google Scholar 

  • Allport, D A., Tipper, S. P., &Chmiel, N. (1985). Perceptual integration and post-categorical filtering. In M. I. Posner & O. S. M. Marln (Eds.),Attention and performance X1 (pp. 107–132) Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Anderson, J. R. (1980).Cogmttve psychology and its imphcations. San Francisco W H. Freeman.

    Google Scholar 

  • Broadbent, D. E. (1958).Perception and communication. London. Pergamon Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Broaobent, D. E. (1971).Deciston and stress. London: Academic Press

    Google Scholar 

  • Broadbent, D. E. (1982) Task combination and selective intake of reformationActa Psychologica,50, 253–290.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Collins, A. M., &Loftus, E. (1975). A spreading activation theory of semantic memory.Psychological Review,82, 407–428.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Deutsch, J. A., &Deutsch, D. (1963). Attention: Some theoretical considerations.Psychological Review,70, 80–90

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Eriksen, C. W., Coles, M. G. H., Morris, L. R., &O’hara, L. P. (1985). An electromyographic examination of response competition.Bulletin of the Psychonomic Society,23, 165–168.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eriksen, B. A., &Eriksen, C. W. (1974). Effects of noise letters on identification of a target letter in a nonsearch task.Perception & Psychophysics,16, 143–149.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eriksen, C. W., &Schultz, D. W. (1979). Information processing in visual search. A continuous flow model and experimental results.Perception & Psychophysics,25, 249–263

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Glaser, W. R., &Dungelhoff, F. J. (1984). The time course of picture-word interferenceJournal of Experimental Psychology. Human Perception & Performance,10, 640–654.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goldstein, E. B., &Fink, S. I. (1981) Selective attention in vision: Recognition memory for superimposed line picturesJournal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception & Performance,7, 954–967

    Google Scholar 

  • Irwin, D. I., &Lupker, S. J. (1983). Semantic prirmng of pictures and words: A levels of processing approachJournal of Verbal Learning & Verbal Behavior,22, 45–60.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Irwin, J. (1979). A method for testing selective attention In vision.Per ception & Motor Skills,48, 899–902

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johnston, W. A., &Dark, V. J. (1986) Selective attention.Annual Review Psychology,37, 43–75

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kahneman, D., &Treisman, A. M. (1984) Changing views ol attention and automaticity. In R Parasuraman, R. Davies, & J Beaty (Eds),Varieties of attention (pp 29–61). New York. Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lupker, S. J. (1979). The semantic nature of response competition in the picture-word interference taskMemory & Cogmnon,7, 485–495.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meyer, D. E., &Schvaneveldt.R. W. (1971) Facilitation in recognizing pairs of words Evidence of a dependence between retrieval operations.Journal of Experimental Psychology: General,90, 227–234.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Neill, W. T. (1977). Inhibitory and facilitatory processes in selective attentionJournal of Experimental Psychology Human Perception & Petformance,3, 444–450

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Potter, M. C., &Faulconer, B. A. (1975) Time to understand pictures and words.Nature,253, 437–438.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rock, I., &Gutman, D. (1981). Effect of inattention on form perception.Journal of Experimental Psychology. Human Perception & Performance,7, 275–285.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roediger, H. L., &Nelly, J. H. (1982) Retrieval blocks in episodic and semantic memory.Canadian Journal of Psychology,36, 213–242.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rosch, E., Mervis, C. B., Gray, W. D., Johnson, D. M., &Boyes-Braem, P. (1976). Basic objects in natural categories.Cognitive Psychology,8, 382–439.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schneider, W., &Fisk, A. D. (1984). Automatic category search and its transfer.Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, & Cognition,10, 1–15.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, M. C., &Magee, L. E. (1980) Tracing the time course of picture word processing.Journal of Experimental Psychology: General,4, 373–392.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Snodgrass, J. G., &Mc Cullough, B. (1985). The role of visual simdanty in picture categorization.Journal of Experimental Psychology. Learning, Memory, & Cognition,12, 147–154.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sperber, R. D., Mc Cauley, C., Ragain, R. D., &Well, C. M. (1979) Semantic priming effects on picture and word processing.Memory & Cognition,7, 339–345.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tipper, S. P. (1985) The negative priming effect: Inhibitory priming by ignored objects.The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology,37A, 571–590.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tipper, S. P., &Cranston, M. (1985) Selective attention and priming: Inhibitory and facilitatory effects of ignored primes.The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology,37A, 591–611.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van Der Heijden, A. H. C. (1981).Short-term visual information forgetting. London: Routledge & Keegan Paul

    Google Scholar 

  • Warren, C., &Morton, J. (1982). The effect of priming on picture recognition.British Journal of Psychology,73, 117–129.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Oxford, Oxford, England

    Jon Driver

  2. Department of Psychology, Mount Alhson University, E0A 3C0, Sackville, NB, Canada

    Steven P. Tipper

Authors
  1. Steven P. Tipper
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jon Driver
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Tipper, S.P., Driver, J. Negative priming between pictures and words in a selective attention task: Evidence for semantic processing of ignored stimuli. Memory & Cognition 16, 64–70 (1988). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03197746

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03197746

Keywords

Search

Navigation