Abstract

Three experiments were conducted to explore the characteristics of knowledge representation for categories and scripts. Using the primed naming task with superordinate concepts as the prime, Experiment 1 explored the interaction effect between knowledge type and concept typicality: The naming response was faster for typical concept, and this result was manifest in the category representation only. In Experiment 2, upward primed naming task was employed, using basic level concepts as primers. The results showed a significant upward priming effect only in category representation. Experiment 3 examined the priming effect among basic level concepts. It was observed that primed naming responses was faster for typical-atypical pairs than for atypical-typical pairs, only in category representation. The results were discussed in relation to the possible differences in the knowledge representation characteristics of categories and scripts.