PHONOLOGICAL PRIMING IN THE LEXICAL DECISION TASK - REGULARITY EFFECTS ARE NOT NECESSARY EVIDENCE FOR ASSEMBLY

The contribution of assembled phonology in reading English was examine d in the lexical decision task by comparing two markers: regularity ef fects and phonological priming. Strategic control was assessed by mani pulating the phonological lexicality of the foils: Experiment 1 used l egal nonwords, whereas Experiment 2 used pseudohomophones. Replicating existing findings, null regularity effects were obtained in the prese nce of legal nonwords. Modest regularity effects, in accuracy only, we re observed with pseudohomophone foils. In contrast, phonological prim ing effects emerged in each of the experiments, regardless of the pres ence of regularity effects. Assembled phonology thus constrains readin g under conditions that strongly discourage its use. However, regulari ty effects are not necessary evidence for its presence. The dissociati on of regularity and phonological priming effects is discussed in term s of the two-cycles model.