The Use of Iambic Pentameter in the

local letters, as illustrated by Figure 12. In each stimulus, a cluster of small letters (local
letters) was configured to form the shape of a much larger alternative letter (global letter).
Participants were asked to identify global letters in some trials and local letters in other
trials. To study how global and local letters were initially processed, Navon limited the
stimulus duration to 150ms. Participant responses and reaction times were recorded.
Figure 12. Experimental stimuli with global and local letters
Note. Presented by Navon, 1981. Each stimulus contains both a global letter and local letters. On the left, a global letter
‘E’ is constructed of local ‘A’s. On the right, a global letter ‘A’ is constructed of local ‘E’s.
Navon (1981) predicted that at stimulus durations as short as 150ms, it would be
easier for participants to identify the global letter, as opposed to local letters. Navon
found that for correct responses, participant reaction times for naming the global letters in
each stimulus was significantly faster than that for the local letters. This suggests an
advantage for the processing of global information for object identification early in visual
processing.
Other researchers extended Navon’s (1981) research to examine global and local
grouping across time. Sanocki (1993) hypothesized that the relative contribution of global
and local information to the eventual interpretation of an object could change across time.
Specifically, Sanocki predicted that global information would have a greater influence on
object identification early in vision and that local information would have a greater
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