Effects of segmentation and expectancy on matching time for words and nonwords

Previous studies indicate that Ss can perceive words more rapidly than nonwords. It may be, however, that this word superiority effect (WSE) is considerably reduced when Ss are not expecting wordlike stimuli, as reported by D. Aderman and E. E. Smith (1971). The present study used segmentation (the insertion of spaces after the 2nd and 4th letters of 6-letter strings) to assess the effect of a configurational change on matching times for words and nonwords under different expectancy conditions. Ss were 94 undergraduates. When Ss expected both words and nonwords, segmentation lengthened the matching latencies equally for words and nonwords. However, when instructions led Ss to expect only nonwords, the segmentation manipulation resulted in a reduced WSE. Data suggest that although segmentation lengthens matching time, it affects the WSE through its influence on expectancies rather than by more direct perceptual influence. Results are discussed in terms of K. T. Spoehr and E. E. Smith's 1973 model of word perception. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved).