Abstract: In categorization tasks,using Chinese single-character words as the material and negative priming as the technique,this study examined whether spreading inhibition,which was at the root of negative priming effects,was a limited resource mechanism.It also examined whether the negative priming effect,which was produced by distractor identity inhibition,could also be observed when an operation response was used.The results showed:1.The RT on a probe target,which had just been a distractor in a previous prime display,shortened when the number of distractors in the previous prime display increased.Therefore,the spreading inhibition was a limited resource mechanism;2.A very significant negative priming effect,which was produced by distractor identity inhibition,could be observed when the operation response was used.

Key words: selective attention, negative priming effect, spreading inhibition, limited resource mechanism, distractor identity inhibition