Interaction between global and local levels of a form.

Two experiments investigated a model for global procedence, which states that global aspects of a form are invariably recognized prior to local levels. Experiment 1 showed that speed of recognition was approximately the same for global and local levels of a form. Experiment 2 independently manipulated the "quality" of information at global and local levels by distorting the forms. Either local or global precedence could be obtained depending on which level was distorted. These results suggest that the specific interaction between local and global levels will depend on the relative visibility or quality of form information at each level.