Persistent repetition priming in picture naming and its dissociation from recognition memory.

ABSTRACT

The current experiments investigated the longevity of repetition priming and dissociations between different memory measures. Picture-naming latencies revealed robust repetition priming in four separate studies Previously named pictures were named faster than new pictures. The magnitude of this naming facilitation was stable across 1 to 6 weeks. The apparent temporal invulnerability of repetition priming was in marked contrast to the decline in episodic recognition memory across 6 weeks, suggesting a dissociation between implicit and explicit memory. Additional evidence of this dissociation was observed within each session Naming facilitation for repeated pictures occurred regardless of whether those particular pictures were consciously recognized.