INHIBITION OF SPOKEN WORD PRODUCTION BY PRIMING A SEMANTIC COMPETITOR

In three experiments, naming a pictured object (e.g., shark) was retarded when a competing word (e.g., whale) had been recently elicited by a definition. In Experiment 1, a strong effect was obtained with two trials intervening between prime and probe, but no effect with a lag of several minutes. In Experiment 2, the effect was stronger with two intervening trials than with none. In Experiment 3, in which every picture was also immediately preceded by its category name, this contrast reversed. An increase in the availability of a competing candidate appears to retard word selection during lexicalization-as predicted by certain competitive activation models. This persisting effect is mitigated at zero lag by transient facilitation due to the spread of activation from related concepts. (C) 1994 Academic Press, Inc.