Strategies for sentence perception

Three experiments are reported in which rapid sequential visual presentation of sentences-RSVP-was used to determine some perceptual processes in sentence perception. It was found that adjectives, when they are actually or potentially modifiers of a noun, are far less likely to be reported than any other part of the sentence. On the other hand, adjectives which are attribute adjectives are as likely to be reported as any other part of the sentence. Conclusions are drawn concerning sentence perception in general.This research was supported by the National Institute of Mental Health, Grant RO1-MH1-4709-05 to J. Mehler.