Abstract
Subjects were required to name random shapes with two levels of association value and six levels of complexity, and were given afterward recognition test of these shapes. Both naming and recognition were better for high associative shapes than for low associative ones, but there was not significant effect of complexity. Recognition of named shapes was superior to that of unnamed ones. Though high associative shapes were recognized well regardless of naming, they were better recognized when named. These results suggest that perception of a shape as a meaningful object facilitates the storage of information on its distinctive features, and association interacts with naming to affect recognition.
