Which of the following statements is true regarding the perception of briefly presented words?

• A. The length of the word does not affect its perception when presented briefly.
• B. Briefly presented words are never recognized by observers.
• C. Words that are familiar to the observer are recognized more quickly than unfamiliar words.
• D. All words, regardless of familiarity, are perceived at the same speed.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the concept of word perception in psychology, especially how familiarity influences cognitive processing speed.
2. Recall that perception of briefly presented stimuli depends on factors like familiarity, frequency of exposure, and cognitive accessibility.
3. Evaluate each statement by considering psychological research findings: for example, familiar words are processed faster due to prior exposure and mental representation strength.
4. Recognize that word length can affect perception but is often less influential than familiarity in brief presentations.
5. Conclude that the statement 'Words that are familiar to the observer are recognized more quickly than unfamiliar words' aligns with established psychological principles about perception and recognition.