Word-to-text integration: Message level and lexical level influences in ERPs

Abstract

Although the reading of connected text proceeds in a largely incremental fashion, the relative degree to which message level and lexical level factors contribute to integration processes across sentences remains an open question. We examined the influence of both factors on single words using event-related potentials (ERPs). Word pairs with either strong or weak forward association strength were critical items: embedded as coreferential words within two-sentence passages in a text comprehension task, and as isolated word pairs in a word meaning judgment task. While the N400 ERP component reflected an effect of forward association strength on lexico-semantic processing in the word task (i.e., reduced N400 amplitudes were seen for strongly associated pairs relative to weakly associated pairs), in the comprehension task, passages embedded with any associated word pairs elicited reduced N400 amplitudes relative to coherent baseline passages lacking one of the critical words. These comprehension effects reflect responses from the highest skilled comprehenders. The results demonstrate the effects of message level factors, and reading abilities, on the processing of single words.

Word predictability and semantic similarity show distinct patterns of brain activity during language comprehension

“…In contrast, several reading experiments that used subjective semantic relatedness measures found effects on the N400 (Camblin et al, 2007;Metusalem et al, 2012;Stafura & Perfetti, 2014;Van Petten, 1993). Other studies applied distributional semantics to quantify semantic relatedness in experimental stimuli.…”

Integrative and predictive processes in text reading: the N400 across a sentence boundary

“…Predictability is relatively low in cross-sentence boundary reading. For example, Stafura and Perfetti (2014) manipulated association strength between the final word of the first sentence and first word of a second sentence. Though they included a strong association condition and a control condition, overall cloze probabilities were low (strong association: M =…”

Acknowledging the role of word-based activation in spontaneous trait inferences

“…In contrast, memory measures, as the savings in re-learning and the false recognition tasks, should be less affected, or maybe not affected at all, by this contamination. Unfortunately, although there are models which can be used to make predictions about the processes underlying lexical and text level effects (Kintsch, 1988; see also Sharkey & Sharkey, 1992), we still don't understand how lexical activation emerging from single words interacts with a more elaborate and holistic processing of the text (Stafura & Perfetti, 2014). Thus, knowing to what degree this confounder influences performance in different STI tasks remains an empirical question which needs to be carefully addressed in future studies.…”