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INVESTIGATION OF WORD FRQUENCY EFFECT
Investigation of the Word Frequency Effect Using a Lexical Decision Task
Alyssa Weise
Carleton University, Ottawa
December 6, 2021
, 2
INVESTIGATION OF WORD FRQUENCY EFFECT
Abstract
Building on research done by Howes and Solomon (1951) and McGinnies et al. (1952)
related to how length, duration threshold and frequency of a presented word affects how easily
an individual can recognize it, the present study explores these same effects with the use of a
lexical decision task. This research was conducted using data from 101 Carleton University
students who completed the experiment online through pavlovia.com where they participated in
a 120-trial word experiment having to identify in ten seconds whether the letter string that was
quickly displayed was a word or a nonword. Through compiling and analyzing the collected data
using two word counts it was demonstrated that in correlation with Howes and Solomon’s
research, individuals were able to more accurately identify frequent words than less frequent
words, and unlike McGinnies et al study, there was no word length effect present.
INVESTIGATION OF WORD FRQUENCY EFFECT
Investigation of the Word Frequency Effect Using a Lexical Decision Task
Alyssa Weise
Carleton University, Ottawa
December 6, 2021
, 2
INVESTIGATION OF WORD FRQUENCY EFFECT
Abstract
Building on research done by Howes and Solomon (1951) and McGinnies et al. (1952)
related to how length, duration threshold and frequency of a presented word affects how easily
an individual can recognize it, the present study explores these same effects with the use of a
lexical decision task. This research was conducted using data from 101 Carleton University
students who completed the experiment online through pavlovia.com where they participated in
a 120-trial word experiment having to identify in ten seconds whether the letter string that was
quickly displayed was a word or a nonword. Through compiling and analyzing the collected data
using two word counts it was demonstrated that in correlation with Howes and Solomon’s
research, individuals were able to more accurately identify frequent words than less frequent
words, and unlike McGinnies et al study, there was no word length effect present.
