We investigated the internal structure of words in the mental lexicon by using a crossword puzzle paradigm. In two experiments, subjects were presented with word fragments along with a semantic cue, and were asked to retrieve the whole word that contained the presented fragment and was compatible with the semantic information. In Experiment 1, we found that any cluster of three adjacent letters facilitated retrieval better than dispersed letters. Moreover, syllabic clusters had a greater facilitative effect than nonsyllabic pronounceable clusters or nonpronounceable clusters. In Experiment 2, we found that syllable units facilitated retrieval better than morphemic units. The results are interpreted as evidence for the existence oflexical subunits that are larger than the letter but smaller than the word, and that are organized according to phonologic principles. We propose an interactive model for how crossword puzzles are solved.In this study we are concerned with the following questions: Does the mental lexicon contain units smaller than the whole word but larger than the individual letter, and, if so, what kind of units are they? Previous answers to these questions have been modality specific. There is wide agreement that syllabic units play an important role in auditory word perception (e.g., Kahn, 1976; Mehler, Dommergues, Frauenfelder, & Segui, 1981;Segui, 1984). In research on visual word perception, on the other hand, there is conflicting evidence as to what the subword units might be, and whether or not the visually presented stimuli undergo phonologic as well as visual processing. Spoehr and Smith (1975) showed that a vocalic center group (YCG) is more easily perceived than a similar cluster of letters not containing a vowel. Their use of the YCG is based on the work of Hansen and Rodgers (1965), who defined a YCG as a cluster consisting of a vowel with a consonant or consonants on either side, where the whole cluster forms a pronounceable unit. AN, CAN, ANT, and CANT are examples ofYCGs. Spoehr and Smith (1973; see also Spoehr, 1978) also showed that one-syllable words are processed faster and more accurately than two-The authors wish to thank

Will brain scientists ever be able to read our minds? Why are some things harder to remember than others? Based on recent brain research and neural network modelling, The Brain-Shaped Mind addresses these, and other, questions, and provides a clear account of how the structure of the brain influences the workings of the mind. Neuroscientists are now learning about our minds by examining how the neurones in the brain are connected with one another and the surrounding environment. This book explores how neural networks enable us to recognise objects and learn new things, and what happens when things go wrong. The reader is taken on a fascinating journey into what is arguably one of the most complicated and remarkable aspects of our lives.

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