The duration of word meaning responses: Stroop interference for different preexposures of the word

Abstract

Stroop stimuli, i.e., color names in incongruent colors, were preexposed in black for different intervals prior to coloration. Color-naming times increased slightly, then decreased sharply as preexposure intervals increased. Some delay in color naming still appeared for the longest (500-msec) preexposure. The results indicate stages in word processing and their temporal characteristics. The preexposure interval that precedes the interference drop would be expected to shift with changes in color luminance, hue, and saturation and also with changes in word legibility. Thus it offers potential for assessing the effects of such manipulations on the speed of color and word processing. © 1971, The Psychonomic Society, Inc.. All rights reserved.