My research interests fall into three different general areas: reading and word identification, memory, and visual attention. In reading, we use the semantic priming paradigm to study how semantic context influences how quickly people can read and identify a word and to test a theory (Neely, 1991; Neely & Kahan, 2001)that says that semantic priming is mediated by three isolable processing mechanisms: an automatic spread of activation within lexical/semantic memory, a strategic expectancy mechanism, and a retrospective semantic matching process that is utilized for lexical (“word”/”nonword”) decisions, but not in pronunciation. In memory, we are studying memory blocks and interference/“supression” mechanisms, blend-false memories, and the contributions that activation and source monitoring make to false memories in the Deese/Roediger-McDermott false memory paradigm. In visual attention, we have done work some work on repetition blindness and are currently focusing on whether or not static discontinuities in shape or color can automatically capture spatial attention. More detail about the research we are currently conducting in the lab in these three areas can be found by clicking here. Specific areas of interest follow.
Word Recognition Processes in Reading
Semantic Priming
Implicit vs. Explicit Memory
False Memories and Blend Memories
Memory blocks and interference and supression mechanisms in memory
Attention (attentional blink, repetition blindness, visual spatial attention)
