I present evidence that masked repetition priming of word identification can be modulated by post-prime cues. Cues consisted of targets presented in black, with repetition and unrelated primes equally likely for such targets, or in a color that was correlated with type of prime (e.g., red = repetition prime, green = unrelated prime). There was an increase in response latency for targets with unrelated primes and a decrease in response latency to targets with repetition primes when target color was correlated with type of prime. In this correlation condition, subjects exhibited a larger reliance on the prime for target processing. In the condition where target color was unrelated to prime type, subjects had less reliance on the prime and processed the target more independently.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Auburn University, 2009. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 60-67).

In the current work, the distinction between priming for associatively-related (AR) and unassociated semantically-related (SR) words is examined. Specifically, whereas associatively-related words demonstrate strong and robust priming effects when presented within the context of lexical-level tasks, generation of significant SR priming appears to require execution of an explicitly semantic task. This apparent levels-of-processing effect, if reflected in the neural-level implementation, would suggest that the mechanisms underlying priming may be localized to spatially and functionally distinct cerebral regions. In the first part of the thesis, an artifactual decision task (ADT) is developed and refined, which proved capable of producing strong immediate SR priming for auditorily presented words. Insertion of unrelated items between prime and target produced differential effects on priming, with AR targets exhibiting an interference effect that slowly diminished as more unrelated items were inserted. The nature of the underlying difference at the neural substrate level was subsequently examined in a PET imaging study, in which subjects performed an auditory ADT using both AR and SR words. Analysis of the cerebral blood flow patterns (CBF) using both simple contrasts, as well as partial least squares (PLS) analysis, found priming-related rCBF decreases in the left frontal regions, primarily within the inferior prefrontal cortex, and left-sided priming-related increases, localized primarily to the superior temporal gyrus, and the ventral temporal surface. Priming-related modulations were reflected by SR words, but not AR words. A behavioral PLS analysis demonstrated that an increase in both SR priming and AR interference effects was associated with increased activity with the extrastriate cortical regions, particularly on the left, suggesting a contribution of visual areas to both facilitatory and interference effects. The imaging findings are

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Texas at Dallas, 2007. / Includes vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 111-117)

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2007. / The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Title from title screen of research.pdf file (viewed on November 1, 2007) Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (B.Sc)--University of Hong Kong, 2005. / "A dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Bachelor of Science (Speech and Hearing Sciences), The University of Hong Kong, June 30, 2005." Also available in print.

Thesis (M.S.)--Montana State University--Bozeman, 2005. / Typescript. Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Keith Hutchison. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 43-46).

Thesis (B.Sc)--University of Hong Kong, 2002. / "A dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Bachelor of Science (Speech and Hearing Sciences), The University of Hong Kong, May 10, 2002." Also available in print.

No description available.

Kin Fai Ellick, Wong. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1997. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 74-83).