Picture-word differences in decision latency: An analysis of single and dual memory models

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Abstract
Human semantic and perceptual size decision times for pictorial and verbal material were analyzed in the context of a unitary memory model and several dual memory models. The 1st experiment involved a same-different categorical judgment task. Picture-picture response latencies were 185 ms faster than the corresponding word-word latencies, and word-picture and picture-word latencies equaled the mean of these 2 extremes. Similarity of subcategory for same judgments led to faster decision latency for all presentation conditions. A linear relationship was found between picture-picture and word-word latencies for individual item pairs. The 2nd experiment involved a comparison of pictures and words across a categorical judgment and a size judgment task. Pictures produced faster decision latencies in both tasks, and the latency difference between pictures and words was comparable across tasks. These data fit the predictions of a unitary memory model. Several variants of a dual memory model were rejected and those which fit the data required assumptions about storage and/or transfer time values which resulted in a functional regression to the unitary memory model.