Mutual Interference between Two Linguistic Dimensions of the Same Stimuli

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Abstract
In a previous study subjects identified binaural stimuli that varied along both a linguistic and a nonlinguistic dimension. The linguistic dimension consisted of variation in stop consonants while the nonlinguistic dimension consisted of variation in fundamental frequency. There were four stimuli: /ba/—low, /ba/ high, /da/—low, /da/—high. Reaction times were obtained in a two-choice identification task when the target dimension was the only one that varied. When there was also irrelevant variation in the nontarget dimension, reaction times increased substantially for the linguistic dimension, but only slightly for the nonlinguistic dimension. Thus the nonlinguistic dimension interfered with the processing of the linguistic dimension more than vice versa. The present study employed the same paradigm, but used two linguistic dimensions: stop consonants and vowels. The stimuli were /ba, bæ, da, dæ/. Reaction times increased substantially for both dimensions when there was also irrelevant variation in the nontarget dimension. Thus both dimensions interfered with each other to the same extent. On the basis of the dimensions examined in this paradigm thus far, it appears that two linguistic dimensions yield a mutual interference effect, while a linguistic and a nonlinguistic dimension yield a unidirectional effect.

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