ABSTRACT

The commonality between masked and long-term priming that we exploit in this chapter is founded on automatic or unconscious influences of memory on task performance, as distinct from influences that are guided by conscious or deliberate strategies. Although such strategies can powerfully modulate priming effects (e.g., Neely, 1977), they are unlikely to operate when masked primes are used because subjects typically are unaware of the presence of the primes. Therefore, our interest lies in the influences of priming that operate without intentional control.