Commonality of Word and Form Associates

Abstract

Simple verbal associates were obtained to words depicting 10 geometrical forms in one sample of 84 undergraduates, while a separate group of 84 was presented with pictures corresponding to the verbal labels and asked to draw the first form which came to mind. A high degree of commonality between the two association tasks indicates frequent use of a common mediational process. Internal analyses indicate that the common mediator is probably verbal, although there are also associational processes unique to pictorial or verbal stimuli. The pattern of results seems to have implications for understanding the nature of stimulus encoding as a function of the nature of the stimulus input.