Abstract: Recent studies have shown that human memory consists of several memory systems. One of them is perceptual representation system (PRS). It supports perceptual priming effect, which is unaffected by the level of processing. But when the modality or the characteristics of the stimuli (e. g., form, color) changes, the priming effect becomes lower. However, some unsolved issues remain on priming for new associations or associative priming. For example, whether PRS alone supports associative priming; whether level of processing affects associative priming; and whether there is some relations between conscious retrieval and associative priming. In order to understand the nature of priming for new associations, this study compared associative priming and perceptual priming, by exploring the effects of level of processing on forming memory for new associations with speeded naming tasks. In experiment 1, after studying a series of colored words under deep or shallow condition, subjects were asked to perform color naming task and recognition task. The procedure of experiment 2 was the same except that the color naming task was replaced by word naming task. Awareness Questionnaire was asked to fill in to avoid the conscious retrieval subjects. Experiment 1 showed that under both encoding conditions subjects could form priming for new associations. They named the old color words quicker than the recombined color words. But the scores of recognition were lower under shallow condition than that under deep condition, with the dissociation of associative priming and recognition task. Experiment 2 had similar results with the dissociation of perceptual priming and recognition task. Both associative priming and perceptual priming were unaffected by level of processing in this study. However, there was some difference in conscious retrieval between word naming and color naming tasks. More subjects noticed the relation between the study and the test in color naming task than in word naming task. The results suggested that perceptual representation system alone could not support associative priming. Priming for new associations may need the interaction between PRS and other memory systems.

Key words: associative priming, level of processing, speeded naming, perceptual representation system