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Lexical interference in semantic processing of simple words: Implications for brand names
Author(s) -
Hennessey Judith E.,
Bell Theodore S.,
Kwortnik Robert J.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
psychology and marketing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.035
H-Index - 116
eISSN - 1520-6793
pISSN - 0742-6046
DOI - 10.1002/mar.20046
Subject(s) - homonym (biology) , word (group theory) , psychology , natural language processing , synonym (taxonomy) , lexical decision task , stroop effect , word processing , linguistics , word recognition , simple (philosophy) , computer science , artificial intelligence , cognitive psychology , cognition , philosophy , botany , reading (process) , neuroscience , biology , genus , epistemology
This study provides evidence for a Stroop‐like interference effect in word recognition. Based on phonologic and semantic properties of simple words, participants who performed a same/different wordrecognition task exhibited a significant response latency increase when word pairs (e.g., poll–rod ) featured a comparison word ( poll ) that was a homonym of a synonym ( pole ) of the target word ( rod ). These results support a parallel‐processing framework of lexical decision making, in which activation of the pathways to word recognition may occur at different levels automatically and in parallel. A subset of simple words that are also brand names was examined and exhibited this same interference. Implications for word‐recognition theory and practical implications for strategic marketing are discussed. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.