Towards a procedure for eliciting verbal expression of non‐verbal experience without reactivity: interpreting the verbal overshadowing effect within the theoretical framework for protocol analysis

Abstract

AbstractThe reactive effects of verbal overshadowing are discussed within Ericsson and Simon's (1980, 1984/1993) theoretical framework, which guided the design of procedures that elicit valid and non‐reactive verbal reports. These procedures encourage participants to give free verbal expression to their thoughts. In contrast, the procedures in the verbal overshadowing paradigm require participants to produce prescribed types of verbalizations. Participants are explicitly told how to verbally describe the face, namely ‘to describe each facial feature in as much detail as possible’ and to continue doing so for the full 5 minutes. The reactive effects of ‘verbal overshadowing’ can be linked to the requirement of producing prescribed types of verbalizations and are thus not caused merely by spontaneous verbal expression of one's thoughts. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.