When sex isn't special: Priming onto a sex decision

McNeill, A., Burton, A. and Ellis, A. (2003) When sex isn't special: Priming onto a sex decision. Visual Cognition, 10(6), pp. 641-650. (doi: 10.1080/13506280344000004)

Abstract

Recognition of faces or names is speeded by prior exposure. This repetition priming has been shown for familiarity judgements (familiar/unfamiliar), semantic judgements (British/American) and naming. However, no benefit of priming has ever been found onto a sex judgement. The absence of priming is normally explained by appealing to the fact that sex judgements can be made to a face without needing to access memory for that person, and that priming has its effects within the memory system. Here we ask subjects to make sex judgements to famous people's surnames (e.g. Tyson, Geldof), a task which requires them to access their memories for people. Under these conditions we observe the normal pattern of priming. We argue that structural, rather than episodic, models of processing fit the data most naturally.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Burton, Prof Anthony
• Authors: McNeill, A., Burton, A., and Ellis, A.
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > School of Psychology
• Journal Name: Visual Cognition