Do magnitude estimation and lexical decision tap similar processes?

Young adults (n = 54 for Exp. 1, n = 50 for Exp. 2) and elderly adults (the same n = 40 in each experiment) participated in studies that required nons peeded magnitude estimation scaling in response to words that varied in fre quency and number of meanings. Across both experiments and across both grou ps, subject and item analyses indicated significant word frequency effects (low-frequency words were judged more difficult to process than high-freque ncy words) and significant word meaning effects (unambiguous words were jud ged to be more difficult to process than ambiguous words). Mean magnitude e stimate values mere significantly and positively correlated with mean lexic al-decision task values obtained from the same subjects on the same stimuli based on data from a previous experiment. Results suggest that processes r equired for magnitude estimation are similar to those measured with the lex ical decision task in word-recognition studies involving young and elderly adults.