The role of physical and conceptual properties in preserving object continuity

Six experiments investigated the nature of the object-file representation s upporting object continuity. Participants viewed preview displays consistin g of 2 stimuli (either line drawings or words) presented within square fram es, followed by a target display consisting of a single stimulus (either a word or a picture) presented within 1 of the frames. The relationship betwe en the target and preview stimuli was manipulated. The first 2 experiments found that participants responded more quickly when the target was identica l to the preview stimulus in the same frame (object-specific priming). In E xperiments 3, 4, 5, and 6, the physical form of the target stimulus (a word or picture in 1 frame) was changed completely from that of either preview stimulus (pictures or words in both frames). Despite this physical change, object-specific priming was observed. It is suggested that object files enc ode postcategorical information, rather than precise physical information.