What does priming refer to in cognitive psychology?

Priming in cognitive psychology specifically refers to the phenomenon where exposure to one stimulus influences the response to a subsequent stimulus, without conscious guidance or intention. This effect occurs because the initial stimulus activates related concepts in memory, making it easier to access associated information when encountering a related stimulus later.

For example, if a person is shown the word "yellow," they may be quicker to recognize or respond to the word "banana" thereafter, due to the association between the two. This process highlights the interconnectedness of concepts in our memory and demonstrates how our cognitive processes can be affected by context and prior experiences. The focus on the interaction between stimuli and the facilitation of responses is what distinctly characterizes priming in cognitive psychology.