ABSTRACT
Backward masking is often used to limit visual processing in studies of word recognition, semantic priming, and text processing. However, the manner in which the masking stimulus interferes with perception of the target is not well understood. Several explanations of the backward masking effect are considered, a termination hypothesis, an attention capture hypothesis, and a capacity sharing hypothesis. A point of distinction, the effect of manipulating the processing demands of the masking stimulus, is tested in two experiments. Frequency in print of the masking stimulus is manipulated in a first experiment and both frequency and repetition of the masking stimulus are tested in the second. The results disconfirm two of the hypotheses, termination and attention capture, and support the capacity sharing hypothesis.
