ABSTRACTIONIST VERSUS EPISODIC THEORIES OF REPETITION PRIMING AND WORD IDENTIFICATION

This paper reviews research relevant to the question of whether words are identified through the use of abstract lexical representations, sp ecific episodic representations, or both. Several lines of evidence in dicate that specific episodes participate in word identification. Firs t, pure abstractionist theories can explain short-term but not long-te rm repetition priming. Second, long-term repetition priming is sensiti ve to changes in surface features or episodic context between presenta tions of a word. Finally, long-term priming for pseudowords is also di fficult for pure abstractionist theories to explain. Alternative appro aches to word identification are discussed, including both pure episod ic theories and theories in which both episodes and abstract represent ations play a role.