Word recognition is the component of reading which involves the identification of individual words. Together the two volumes of Visual Word Recognition offer a state-of-the-art overview of contemporary research from leading figures in the field.

This first volume outlines established theory, new models and key experimental evidence used to investigate visual word recognition: lexical decision and word naming. It also considers methodological concerns: new developments in large databases, and how these have been applied to theoretical questions; and control considerations when dealing with words as stimuli. Finally, the book considers the visual-orthographic input to the word recognition system: from the left and right-hand sides of vision, through the processing of letters and their proximity, to the similarity and confusability of words, and the contribution of the spoken-phonological form of the word.

The two volumes serve as a state-of-the-art, comprehensive overview of the field. They are essential reading for researchers of visual word recognition, as well as undergraduate and postgraduate students of cognition and cognitive psychology, specifically the psychology of language and reading. They will also be of use to those working in education and speech-language therapy.

Reviews

"Reading is a uniquely human activity that has fascinated cognitive psychologists. The chapters in this book illustrate the evolving theoretical and methodological developments, written by the leading researchers in the field. The book provides food for thought, and will no doubt stimulate more research in this exciting area." - Sachiko Kinoshita, Associate Professor of Psychology, Macquarie University, Australia

"Both volumes of Visual Word Recognition will serve as a crucial, up-to-date theoretical and experimental aid for young and experienced scientists in the field of reading research." - Nicola Pitchford, Associate Professor of Psychology, University of Nottingham, UK