Predictive validity of a Rashevsky-Landahl neural net: Test of a model of masking for form

Ss were asked to search for a single-letter target embedded in a context of (1) letter strings that were orthographically well structured though not English words, or (2) letter strings that were poorly structured and unpronounceable. Neither college students nor fifth graders differed in scanning rate as a function of the context structure. Reports from Ss revealed that orthographic structure was frequently noted but was used inconsistently, if at all, and without benefit to the search. It was concluded that optimal strategies for processing verbal features change with the task and that pickup of larger structural units is incompatible with fut letter search.