Local strategic control of information in visual word recognition

In the present studies, we examined strategic flexibility in the use of lex ical and sublexical information in Korean word recognition. Korean readers show a large frequency effect for words printed in the alphabetic Hangul sc ript only if these words are embedded in a list consisting largely of logog raphic (Hanza) words. In the first experiment, high- and low- frequency Han gul words were preceded by Hangul or Hanza words. Frequency effects were el iminated when a Hangul target word was preceded by two Hangul words, even w hen the overall proportion of Hanza words in the list was large. In the sec ond experiment, one group saw each stimulus preceded by a cue indicating wh ich script would be seen on that trial. Frequency effects for Hangul target s were absent under this condition, but were present when subjects were not so cued. These results indicate that Korean readers are able to control th eir use of lexical and sublexical information over a small number of stimul i or even trial by trial.