Are false recognitions influenced by prerecognition processing?

Lexical activation is a core process in models of spoken word recognition. Specific words activated are candidates, with degree of activation determined by the match with sensory information. Once identified, lexical activation shifts to provide a meaningful representation, normally through activation of semantically related words. Activated words are assumed to acquire familiarity as a result of being activated, providing a basis for memories, both real and imagined. Three experiments showed a direct relationship between number of false recognitions and their presumed degree of activation. Results converge with those from spoken word recognition in implicating lexical activation during early stages of processing. For recognition memory, the message is that prerecognition lexical processing should be included in the memory equation.