The effect of meaning frequency on processing lexically ambiguous words: evidence from eye fixations

Sereno, S.C. , Pacht, J.M. and Rayner, K. (1992) The effect of meaning frequency on processing lexically ambiguous words: evidence from eye fixations. Psychological Science, 3(5), pp. 296-300. (doi: 10.1111/j.1467-9280.1992.tb00676.x)

Abstract

Subjects read sentences containing lexically ambiguous words while their eye movements were monitored Biased ambiguous words (those that have one highly dominant sense) were used m sentences containing a prior context that instantiated their subordinate sense Control words were matched m frequency both to the dominant and to the subordinate meaning of the ambiguous word (high- and low-frequency controls) Subjects fixated longer on both the ambiguous word and the low-frequence control than on the high-frequency control When the target was ambiguous, however, the duration of posttarget fixations was longer and the likelihood of making a regression to the target was greater than when the target was an unambiguous control The results are discussed m relation to current models of lexical ambiguity resolution

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Sereno, Dr Sara
• Authors: Sereno, S.C., Pacht, J.M., and Rayner, K.
• Subjects: B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > School of Psychology; College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Psychology & Neuroscience
• Journal Name: Psychological Science
• ISSN: 0956-7976
• ISSN (Online): 1467-9280
• Published Online: 07 April 2006