Dissociating word frequency and age of acquisition: The Klein effect revived (and reversed).

Dewhurst, Stephen A. and Barry, Christopher (2006) Dissociating word frequency and age of acquisition: The Klein effect revived (and reversed). Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 32 (4). pp. 919-924. ISSN 0278-7393

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Abstract

The Klein effect (G. S. Klein, 1964) refers to the finding that high-frequency words produce greater interference in a color-naming task than low-frequency words. The present study used the Klein effect to investigate the relationship between frequency and age of acquisition (AoA) by measuring their influence on color naming. Two experiments showed reliable effects of frequency (though in the opposite direction to that reported by Klein) but no effects of AoA. Experiment 1 produced a dissociation between frequency and AoA when manipulated orthogonally. Experiment 2 produced the same dissociation using different stimuli. In contrast, both variables reliably influenced word naming. These findings are inconsistent with the view that frequency and AoA are 2 aspects of a single underlying mechanism.

Item Type:
Journal Article
Journal or Publication Title:
Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition
Additional Information:
(c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved. "This article may not exactly replicate the final version published in the APA journal. It is not the copy of record."
Uncontrolled Keywords:
/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/3200/3205
Subjects:
?? experimental and cognitive psychologybf psychology ??
ID Code:
858
Deposited By:
Deposited On:
20 Dec 2007 09:58
Refereed?:
Yes
Published?:
Published
Last Modified:
31 Dec 2023 00:20