semantic priming is an effect in which exposure to a stimulus unconsciously influences responses to a later conceptually related stimulus; semantic priming is assumed to occur because thinking about an idea leads other related ideas to also come to mind; semantic priming is known to influence the speed at which similar words are recognized; just as seeing the word spider presented on a screen makes it easier to recognize the word spider if it is presented a second time, seeing the word spider also makes it easier to recognize words like web, or venom; semantic priming is also known to influence how people interpret ambiguous stimuli; for example, after reading the word spider over and over again a slight brushing sensation against your foot may be interpreted as something about to run up your leg
defined by Jesse Chandler