FASS Staff Profile
DR MELVIN J. YAP
DEPARTMENT of PSYCHOLOGY
- Appointment:
- ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR
- Office:
- AS5/04-05
- Email:
- melvin@nus.edu.sg
- Tel:
- (65) 65167768
- Fax:
- (65) 67731843
- Homepage:
- http://staffpages.nus.edu.sg/fas/psyyapm/toc.htm
Brief Introduction
How do people recognize visually printed words? What are the processes and mechanisms that allow a reader to, with relatively little effort, map a string of letters onto its underlying lexical representation, and from there obtain its sound and meaning? How do the different statistical properties of words (e.g., number of letters, frequency of occurrence in the language, likelihood of confusability, imageability) influence how quickly and accurately they are identified?
These broad questions have preoccupied me for the last decade, and have stimulated studies that have helped shed light on the processes implicated in isolated visual word recognition, as well as the interplay between lexical processing and the mechanisms specific to the tasks used to measure such processing.
Teaching Areas
Current Research
Research Interests
The ability to recognize visually presented words is a fundamental aspect of reading, and I am particularly interested in the processes that support visual word recognition. How do the orthographic, phonological, and semantic properties of words jointly influence word recognition speed and accuracy? How do important individual differences among readers moderate word recognition performance? To what extent to experimental effects reflect task-general versus task-specific processing? My research also relies on the analysis of big data (megastudies) and response time distributions to provide additional insights into the mechanisms and processes involved in recognizing words.
Publications
OTHERS
- Journal articles
Adelman, J. S., Johnson, R. L., McCormick, S. E., McKague, M., Kinoshita, S., Bowers, J., Perry, J. R., Lupker, S. J., Forster, K. I., Cortese, M. J., Scaltritti, M., Aschenbrenner, A. J., Coane, J. H., White, L., Yap, M. J., Davis, C., Kim, J., & Davis, C. J. (2014). A behavioral database for masked form priming. Behavior Research Methods, 46, 1052-1067.
Aschenbrenner, A. J., & Yap, M. J. (2019). The influence of relatedness proportion on the joint relationship among word frequency, stimulus quality, and semantic priming in the lexical decision task. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 72, 2452-2461.
Aschenbrenner, A. J., Yap, M. J., & Balota, D. A. (2018). The generality of dynamic adjustments in decision processes across trials and tasks. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 25, 1917-1924.
Balota, D. A., Aschenbrenner, A., & Yap, M. J. (2013). Additive effects of word frequency and stimulus quality: The influence of trial history and data transformations. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, & Cognition, 39, 1563-1571.
Balota, D. A., Aschenbrenner, A., & Yap, M. J. (2018). Dynamic adjustment of lexical processing in the lexical decision task: Cross-trial sequence effects. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 71, 37-45.
Balota, D. A., & Yap, M. J. (2011). Moving beyond the mean in studies of mental chronometry: The power of response time distributional analyses. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 20, 160-166.
Balota, D. A., Yap, M. J., Cortese, M. J., & Watson, J. M. (2008). Beyond mean response latency: Response time distributional analyses of semantic priming. Journal of Memory & Language, 59, 495-523.
Balota, D. A., Yap, M. J., Cortese, M. J., Hutchison, K. A., Kessler, B., Loftis, B., Neely, J. H., Nelson, D. L., Simpson, G. B., & Treiman, R. (2007). The English Lexicon Project. Behavior Research Methods, 39, 445-459.
Balota, D. A., Cortese, M. J., Sergent-Marshall, S., Spieler, D. H., & Yap, M. J. (2004). Visual word recognition of single syllable words. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 133, 336-345.
Brysbaert, M., Bakk, Z., Buchanan, E. M., Drieghe, D., Frey, A., Kim, E., Kuperman, V., Madan, C. R., Marelli, M., Mathot, S., Valdivia, D. S., & Yap, M. J. (in press). Into a new decade. Behavior Research Methods, 53, 1-3.
Castel, A. D., Balota, D. A., Hutchison, K. A., Logan, J. M., & Yap, M. J. (2007). Spatial attention and response control in healthy younger and older adults and individuals with Alzheimer's disease: Evidence for disproportionate selection impairments in the Simon task. Neuropsychology, 21, 170-182.
Chee, Q. W., Chow, K. J., Goh, W. D., & Yap, M. J. (2021). LexiCAL: A calculator for lexical variables. PLoS ONE: 16(4): e0250891.
Chee, Q. W., Chow, K. J., Yap, M. J., & Goh, W. D. (2020). Consistency norms for 37,677 English words. Behavior Research Methods, 52, 2535-2555.
Chee, Q. W., & Yap, M. J. (in press) Are there task-specific effects in morphological processing? Examining semantic transparency effects in semantic categorization and lexical decision. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology.
Chng, K. Y. T., Yap, M. J., & Goh, W. D. (2019). Cross-modal masked repetition and semantic priming in auditory lexical decision. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 26, 599-608.
Cohen-Shikora, E. R., Balota, D. A., Kapuria, A., & Yap, M. J. (2013). The Past Tense Inflection Project (PTIP): Speeded past tense inflections, imageability ratings, and past tense consistency measures for 2200 verbs. Behavior Research Methods, 45, 151-159.
Dufau, S., Duñabeitia, J.A., Moret-Tatay, C., McGonigal, A., Peeters, D., Alario, F.-X., Balota, D.A., Brysbaert, M., Carreiras, M., Ferrand, L., Ktori, M., Perea, M., Rastle, K., Sasburg, O., Yap, M.J., Ziegler, J.C., & Grainger, J. (2011). Smart phone, smart science: how the use of smartphones can revolutionize research in cognitive science. PLoS ONE: 6(9): e24974.
Goh, W. D., Suárez, L., Yap, M. J., & Tan, S. H. (2009). Distributional analyses in auditory lexical decision: Neighborhood density and word-frequency effects. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 16, 882-887.
Goh, W. D., Yap, M. J., & Chee, Q. W. (2020). The Auditory English Lexicon Project: A multi talker, multi-region psycholinguistic database of 10,170 spoken words and nonwords. Behavior Research Methods, 52,2202-2231.
Goh, W. D., Yap, M. J., Lau, M. C., Ng, M. R., & Tan, L-C. (2016). Semantic richness effects in spoken word recognition: A lexical decision and semantic categorization megastudy. Frontiers in Psychology. 7:976. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00976
Hon, N. H. H., Yap, M. J., & Jabar, S. (2013). The trajectory of the target probability effect. Perception & Psychophysics, 75, 661-666.
Hutchison, K. A., Balota, D. A., Neely, J. H., Cortese, M. J., Cohen-Shikora, E. R., Tse, C-S., Yap, M. J., Bengson, J. J., Niemeyer, D., & Buchanan, E. (2013). The Semantic Priming Project. Behavior Research Methods, 45, 1099-1114.
Juhasz, B. J., & Yap, M. J. (2013). Sensory experience ratings (SERs) for over 5,000 mono- and disyllabic words. Behavior Research Methods, 45, 160-168.
Juhasz, B. J., Yap, M. J., Dicke, J., Taylor, S. C., & Gullick, M. M. (2011). Tangible words are recognized faster: The grounding of meaning in sensory and perceptual systems. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 64, 1683-1691.
Juhasz, B. J., Yap, M. J., Raoul, A., & Kaye, M. (2019). A further examination of word frequency and age-of-acquisition effects in English lexical decision task performance: The role of frequency trajectory. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, & Cognition, 45, 82-96.
Kang, S. H. K., Balota, D. A., & Yap, M. J. (2009). Pathway control in visual word processing: Converging evidence from recognition memory. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 16, 692-698.
Kang, S. H. K., Eglington, L. G., & Yap, M. J. (2018). Forward versus backward semantic priming: What movement dynamics during lexical decision reveal. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 71, 1506-1511.
Kang, S. H. K., Yap, M. J., Tse, C-S., & Kurby, C. A. (2011). Semantic size does not matter: “Bigger” words are not recognised faster. The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 64, 1041-1047.
Kim, S. Y., Yap, M. J., & Goh, W. D. (2019). The role of semantic transparency in visual word recognition of compound words: A megastudy approach. Behavior Research Methods, 51, 2722-2732. [Item level data]
Lau, M. C., Goh, W. D., & Yap, M. J. (2018). An item-level analysis of lexical-semantic effects in free recall and recognition memory using the megastudy approach.Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 71, 2207-2222. [Item level data]
Lim, R. Y. H., Yap, M. J., & Tse, C-S. (in press). Individual differences in Cantonese Chinese word recognition: Insights from the Chinese Lexicon Project. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology.
McAuley, T., Yap, M., Christ, S. E., & White, D. A. (2006). Revisiting inhibitory control across the life span: Insights from the Ex-Gaussian distribution. Developmental Neuropsychology, 29, 447-458.
Ng, M. M. R., Goh, W. D., Yap, M. J., Tse, C-S., & So, W-C. (2017). How we think about temporal words: A gestural priming study in English and Chinese. Frontiers in Psychology. 8:974. 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00974
Pexman, P. M., Heard, A., Lloyd, E., & Yap, M. J. (2017). The Calgary semantic decision project: Concrete/abstract decision data for 10,000 English Words. Behavior Research Methods, 49, 407-417.
Pexman, P. M., Muraki, E., Sidhu, D. M., Siakaluk, P. D., & Yap, M. J. (2019). Quantifying sensorimotor experience: Body-object interaction ratings for more than 9000 English words. Behavior Research Methods, 51, 453-466.
Pexman, P. M., Siakaluk, P. D., & Yap, M. J. (2013). Introduction to the research topic meaning in mind: Semantic richness effects in language processing. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. 7:723. 10.3389/fnhum.2013.00723
Pexman, P. M., & Yap, M. J. (2018). Individual differences in semantic processing: Insights from the Calgary Semantic Decision Project. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, & Cognition, 44, 1091-1112.
Siakaluk, P. D., Newcombe, P. I., Duffels, B., Li, E., Sidhu, D. M., Yap, M. J., & Pexman, P. M. (2016). Effects of Emotional Experience in Lexical Decision. Frontiers in Psychology. 7:1157. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01157
So, W-C., Low, A. Y-F., Yap, D-F., Kheng, E., & Yap, M. J. (2013). Iconic gestures prime words: comparison of priming effects when gestures are presented alone and when they are accompanying speech. Frontiers in Psychology. 4:779. 10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00779
Suárez, L., Tan, S. H., Yap, M. J., & Goh, W. D. (2011). Observing neighbourhood effects without neighbours. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 18, 605-611.
Sze, W. P., Rickard Liow, S. J., & Yap, M. J. (2014). The Chinese Lexicon Project: A repository of lexical decision behavioral responses for 2,500 Chinese characters. Behavior Research Methods, 46, 263-273.
Sze, W. P., Yap, M. J., & Rickard Liow, S. J. (2015). The role of lexical variables in the visual recognition of Chinese characters: A megastudy analysis. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 68, 1541-1570.
Taikh, A., Hargreaves, I. S., Yap, M. J., & Pexman, P. M. (2015). Semantic classification of pictures and words. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 68, 1502-1518.
Tan, L-C., & Yap, M. J. (2016). Are individual differences in masked repetition and semantic priming reliable? Visual Cognition, 24, 182-200.
Teh, E. J., Vijaykumar, R., Tan, T. X. J., & Yap, M. J. (in press). Effects of physical exercise interventions on stereotyped motor behaviours in children with ASD: A meta-analysis. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.
Teh, E. J., Yap, M. J., & Rickard Liow, S. J. (2017). PiSCES: Pictures with social context and emotional scenes with norms for emotional valence, intensity, and social engagement. Behavior Research Methods, 50, 1793-1805.
Teh, E. J., Yap, M. J., & Rickard Liow, S. J. (2018). Emotional processing in autism spectrum disorders: Effects of age, emotional valence, and social engagement on emotional language use. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 48, 4138-4154.
Tse, C-S., Balota, D. A., Yap, M. J., Duchek, J. M., & McCabe, D. P. (2010). Effects of healthy aging and early-stage dementia of the Alzheimer's type on components of response time distributions in three attention tasks. Neuropsychology, 24, 300-315.
Tse, C-S. & Yap, M. J. (2018). The role of lexical variables in the visual recognition of two-character Chinese compound words: A megastudy analysis. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 71, 2022-2038.
Tse, C-S., Yap, M. J., Chan, Y-L., Sze, W-P., Shaoul, C., & Lin, D. (2017). The Chinese Lexicon Project: A megastudy of lexical decision performance for 25,000+ Traditional Chinese Two-Character Compound Words. Behavior Research Methods, 49, 1503-1519.
Wong, T. Y. Q., Yap, M. J., Obana, T., Asplund, C. L., & Teh, E. J. (in press). Emotional picture and language processing in adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.
Yap, D. F., So, W. C., Yap, M. J., Tan, Y. Q., & Teoh, S. R. (2011). Iconic gestures prime words. Cognitive Science, 35, 171-183.
Yap, M. J., & Balota, D. A. (2007). Additive and interactive effects on response time distributions in visual word recognition. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, & Cognition, 33, 274-296.
Yap, M. J., & Balota, D. A. (2009). Visual word recognition of multisyllabic words. Journal of Memory & Language, 60, 502-529.
Yap, M. J., Balota, D. A., Cortese, M. J., & Watson, J. M. (2006). Single versus dual process models of lexical decision performance: Insights from RT distributional analysis. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception & Performance, 32, 1324-1344.
Yap, M. J., Balota, D. A., Sibley, D. E., & Ratcliff, R. (2012). Individual differences in visual word recognition: Insights from the English lexicon project. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception & Performance, 38, 53-79.
Yap, M. J., Balota, D. A., & Tan, S. E. (2013). Additive and interactive effects in semantic priming: Isolating lexical and decision processes in the lexical decision task. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, & Cognition, 39, 140-158.
Yap, M. J., Balota, D. A., Tse, C.-S., & Besner, D. (2008). On the additive effects of stimulus quality and word frequency in lexical decision: Evidence for opposing interactive influences revealed by RT distributional analyses. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, & Cognition, 34, 495-513.
Yap, M. J., Lim, G. Y., & Pexman, P. M. (2015). Semantic richness effects in lexical decision: The role of feedback. Memory & Cognition, 43, 1148-1167.
Yap, M. J., & Pexman, P. M. (2016). Semantic richness effects in syntactic classification: The role of feedback. Frontiers in Psychology. 7:1394. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01394
Yap, M. J., Pexman, P. M., Wellsby, M., Hargreaves, I. S., & Huff, M. J. (2012). An abundance of riches: Cross-task comparisons of semantic richness effects in visual word recognition. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. 6:72. doi: 10.3889/fnhum.2012.00072
Yap, M. J., Rickard Liow, S. J., Jalil, S. B., & Faizal, S. S. B. (2010). The Malay Lexicon Project: A database of lexical statistics for 9,592 words. Behavior Research Methods, 42, 992-1003.
Yap, M. J., & Seow, C. S. (2014). The influence of emotion on lexical processing: Insights from RT distributional analyses. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 21, 526-533.
Yap, M. J., Sibley, D. E., Balota, D. A., Ratcliff, R., & Rueckl, J. (2015). Responding to nonwords in the lexical decision task: Insights from the English Lexicon Project. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, & Cognition, 41, 597-613.
Yap, M. J., Tan, S. E., Pexman, P. M., & Hargreaves, I. S. (2011). Is more always better? Effects of semantic richness on lexical decision, speeded pronunciation, and semantic classification. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 18, 742-750.
Yap, M. J., Tse, C.-S., & Balota, D. A. (2009). Individual differences in the joint effects of semantic priming and word frequency: The role of lexical integrity. Journal of Memory & Language, 61, 303-325.
Yarkoni, T., Balota, D. A., & Yap, M. J. (2008). Beyond Coltheart’s N: A new measure of orthographic similarity. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 15, 971-979.
Books and Book chapter
Balota, D. A., & Yap, M. J. (2005). Visual word recognition. In K. Brown (Ed.), The Encyclopedia of Language and Linguistics (2nd Edition). Oxford, UK: Elsevier.
Balota, D. A., & Yap, M. J. (2006). Attentional control and flexible lexical processing: Explorations of the magic moment of word recognition. In S. Andrews (Ed.), From inkmarks to ideas: Current issues in lexical processing (pp. 229-258). New York: Psychology Press.
Balota, D., Yap, M. J., & Cortese, M. J. (2006). Visual word recognition: The journey from features to meaning (A travel update). In M. Traxler & M. A. Gernsbacher (Eds.) Handbook of psycholinguistics (2nd edition) (pp. 285-375). Amsterdam: Academic Press.
Balota, D. A., Yap, M. J., Hutchison, K.A., & Cortese, M. J. (2012). Megastudies: What do millions (or so) of trials tell us about lexical processing? In J. S. Adelman (Ed.). Visual word recognition (pp. 90-115). Hove: Psychology Press.
Pexman, P. M., Siakaluk, P. D., & Yap, M. J. (Eds.) (2014). Meaning in mind: Semantic richness effects in language processing. Frontiers Media SA.
Yap, M. J. (2019). Visual word recognition. In M. Aronoff (Ed.) Oxford Bibliographies in Linguistics. New York: Oxford University Press.
Yap, M. J., & Balota, D. A. (2015). Visual word recognition. In A. Pollatsek & R. Treiman (Eds.), Oxford Handbook of Reading (pp. 26-43). New York: Oxford University Press.
Yap, M. J., Hutchison, K. A., & Tan, L. C. (2016). Individual differences in semantic priming performance: Insights from the Semantic Priming Project. In M. N. Jones (Ed.), Big data in cognitive science: From methods to insights. New York: Psychology Press.
Yap, M. J., & Rickard Liow, S. J. (2016). Processing the written word. In V. Cook & D. Ryan (Eds.), The Routledge handbook of the English writing system (pp. 453-469). New York: Routledge.
Other Information
Professional Service
- Psychonomic Bulletin and Review (Associate Editor, 2012 – 2013)
- Behavior Research Methods (Associate Editor, 2014 – present)
- Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance (Consulting Editor, 2012 – present)
- Psychonomic Bulletin and Review (Consulting Editor, 2019 – present)
- Visual Cogntiion (Consulting Editor, 2020 – present)
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