Abstract: Picture naming is a typical task used to investigate the processes of speech production, which consists of processes of conceptual preparation, lemma selection, phonological encoding, phonetic encoding, and articulation. The present paper addresses semantic context effect in spoken picture naming. First, we introduce interactive activation models and discrete serial models of language production. Then two opposite effects (semantic inhibition and semantic facilitation effects) are discussed with picture-word interference paradigm (PWI) and semantic blocking paradigm in picture naming. We summarize variables that contribute to semantic effects and the main hypotheses proposed for interpreting semantic effects: lexical selection by competition, swinging lexical network account, response congruency account, semantic selection account, and response exclusion hypothesis. We mainly focus on why these hypotheses are proposed, and discuss the similarities and differences among them. Finally, we propose three important issues for the further study.Picture naming is a typical task used to investigate the processes of speech production, which consists of processes of conceptual preparation, lemma selection, phonological encoding, phonetic encoding, and articulation. The present paper addresses semantic context effect in spoken picture naming. First, we introduce interactive activation models and discrete serial models of language production. Then two opposite effects (semantic inhibition and semantic facilitation effects) are discussed with picture-word interference paradigm (PWI) and semantic blocking paradigm in picture naming. We summarize variables that contribute to semantic effects and the main hypotheses proposed for interpreting semantic effects: lexical selection by competition, swinging lexical network account, response congruency account, semantic selection account, and response exclusion hypothesis. We mainly focus on why these hypotheses are proposed, and discuss the similarities and differences among them. Finally, we propose three important issues for the further study.

Key words: picture naming, semantic inhibition effect, semantic facilitation effect