Abstract phonological structure in language production: Evidence from Spanish.

In this study, 4 experiments were carried out to investigate if segmental and structural information are represented separately in phonological encoding in speech production. In Experiments 1 and 2, a picture-word interference paradigm was used. Participants had to name a picture while a word was auditorily presented 150 ms after the onset of the target. In Experiments 3 and 4, participants had to read aloud lists of printed words (inductors) and then had to name a picture. Results of the first 3 experiments indicate that naming latencies are faster when target and interfering stimulus (in the first 2 experiments) and inductors (in the 3rd) share the same abstract phonological structure. The 4th experiment showed that the priming effect observed previously is due to facilitation of the first-syllable structure, supporting the notion that an abstract syllabic structure is used in phonological encoding. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)