Semantic Inhibition due to Short-Term Retention of Prime Words: The Prime-Retention Effect and a Controlled Center-Surround Hypothesis

The semantic priming effect is shown to be modulated by the instruction to maintain the prime word while conducting a lexical decision to the target. Specifically, the priming effect is absent in situations of prime-retention. An extended version of Dagenbach and Carr’s (1994) Center-Surround hypothesis is proposed, in which the prime-retention effect, the absence of priming under prime-retention, can be accommodated. This extended hypothesis suggests that under prime-retention, activation remains centered on the prime, preventing unwanted spread of activation. This impact of the on-centeroff-surround mechanism increases over time, making it sensitive to manipulations of stimulus duration.