DUAL-ROUTE THEORIES OF PRONOUNCING PRINTED WORDS - WHAT CAN BE LEARNED FROM CONCURRENT TASK-PERFORMANCE

K. R. Paap and R. W. Noel (1991) found that a 5-digit memory load spee ded pronunciation of low-frequency exception words, despite slowing ot her word types. They argued that the memory load diverted attention fr om phonological assembly and prevented it from competing with retrieve d phonology so that words most susceptible to such competition-low-fre quency exception words-were facilitated. This attentional account was tested against alternatives based on cross talk among lexical or suble xical codes. Initial results supported lexical cross talk: Digit and n oun loads produced a weak release-from-competition (RFC) effect, but r andom shapes and pseudowords produced no such effect, despite requirin g more attention. However, subsequent analyses of individual differenc es showed that not all participants possessed a dual-route architectur e in which low-frequency exception words were suffering competition. A mong those who were candidates for a dual-route architecture, all memo ry loads produced RFC; among those who were not, no RFC was found.