Graphemic and semantic similarity effects in the picture-word interference task.

Two experiments were performed using the picture-word interference task in which a word is superimposed on a line drawing of a picture which subjects must name. Incongruent words result in interference in naming the picture and the present studies examined the effect of graphemic and semantic similarity between the printed word and the picture label on naming times. Consistent with prior research a category effect was obtained such that a printed word from the same category as the object resulted in more interference than did a printed word not from the category of the object. However, it was also found that graphemic similarity between the printed word and the picture label reduced the size of the category effect. The time course of these effects was examined by varying the stimulus onset asynchrony between the print and the picture. The results are discussed within the logogen and pictogen framework.