Modulation of the word frequency effect in recognition memory after an unrelated lexical decision task

•Lexical decision modulates the WFE in a subsequent unrelated recognition task.•An increase in hit rates and false alarms for high frequency words was found in RC.•A decrease in false alarms for the low frequency words was also found in RC.•Changes in drift rate and response criterion of the LBA model explain the WFE.•Previous processing history affects memory processing is subsequent tasks.