Instructional effects on semantic satiation

Abstract

Relatively small satiation effects were found in a study of the effects of instructional variables on semantic satiation. The largest satiation effects were produced when Ss were instructed to consider word meanings during repetition of words, and in addition rated words on semantic differential scales on which the mid-point was defined as indicating “meaninglessness” as well as “neutrality of irrelevancy.” It was concluded that semantic satiation effects may be difficult to obtain without the use of such instructions when the semantic differential is employed to measure meaning loss following verbal repetition.