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Skilled performance, practice, and the differentiation of speed-up from automatization effects: Evidence from second language word recognition

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 November 2008

Norman S. Segalowitz  and
Sidney J. Segalowitz
Norman S. Segalowitz*
Affiliation:
Concordia University
Sidney J. Segalowitz
Affiliation:
Brock University
*
Norman Segalowitz, Psychology Department, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, Quebec H4B 1R6, Canada
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Abstract

Practice on cognitive tasks, in general, and word recognition tasks, in particular, will usually lead to faster and more stable responding. We present an analysis of the relationship between observed reductions in performance latency and latency variability with respect to whether processing has merely become faster across the board or whether a qualitative change, such as automatization, has taken place. The coefficient of variability (CV) - the standard deviation of response time divided by the mean latency - is shown to be useful for this purpose. A cognitive interpretation of the CV is given that relates it to issues of skill development.Data from second language learners' word recognition performance and from a simple detection task are presented which confirm predictions drawn from this interpretation of the cognitive significance of the CV. Initial improvement in a second language word recognition task was interpreted as involving more efficient controlled processing, which later gave way to automatization. The implications of this index of skill are discussed in relation to second language development and the general issue of automaticity of processing components in cognitive skills.

Type
Articles
Information
Applied Psycholinguistics , Volume 14 , Issue 3 , July 1993 , pp. 369 - 385
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1993

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