Abstractness and specificity in spoken word recognition: Indexical and allophonic variability in long-term repetition priming

This chapter begins by drawing distinctions between indexical and allophonic variability and between episodic and abstractionist theories of lexical form. As it argues, evidence for episodic theories comes primarily-although not exclusively-from research on indexical variability, whereas research on allophonic variability suggests the operation of more abstract codes. It concludes by arguing for a mixed representational model in which differential effects of abstract and episodic codes are predictable based on the processing time considerations.