What's different in second-language processing? Evidence from event-related brain potentials

German sentences which were either correct, contained a selectional restriction violation, or a word category violation were presented auditorily to 16 native speakers of German (L1 group) and to 16 native speakers of Russian, who had learned German after the age of 10 (L2 group). Semantic violations elicited an N400 effect for both groups, but with a reduced amplitude and a longer peak latency in the L2 group. Compared to correct sentences, sentences with a phrase structure violation elicited an early anterior negativity followed by a broad centro-parietal positivity in native speakers. By contrast, there was no differential modulation of the early anterior negativity in the L2 group. A late positivity was also elicited in the second language learners, but it was slightly delayed compared to that shown by native speakers. This pattern is discussed in terms of different degrees of automaticity with respect to the subprocesses involved in sentence comprehension.     

Effects of NP type on the resolution of word-order ambiguities

Locally ambiguous NP₁ NP₂ V clauses in Dutch are preferably assigned a subject-object rather than an object-subject interpretation, presumably on the basis of structurally based principles such as the Active-Filler Strategy. The present study investigates whether this preference can be affected by a nonconfigurational factor, namely the nature of NP₂. The type of an NP (indefinite NPs, full definite NPs, pronouns) conveys information about the discourse status of the NP referent, which, in turn, is associated with a specific syntactic position. More specifically, pronouns are used to refer to given, salient entities in the discourse (topics); and NPs with such referents are generally encoded in subject position. A self-paced reading experiment shows that NP₁ NP₂ V relative clauses are preferably interpreted as subject-object when NP₂ is a full definite NP (e.g., de vrouwen the women), but not when NP₂ is the second person pronoun jullie (you-PL). This suggests that the structural bias for a subject-first order is not as strong as has been previously assumed, but is influenced by discourse information encoded in the NPs. Implications for parsing models are discussed.     

Test of a potential link between analytic and nonanalytic category learning and automatic, effortful processing

The link between automatic and effortful processing and nonanalytic and analytic category learning was evaluated in a sample of 29 college undergraduates using declarative memory, semantic category search, and pseudoword categorization tasks. Automatic and effortful processing measures were hypothesized to be associated with nonanalytic and analytic categorization, respectively. Results suggested that contrary to prediction strong criterion-attribute (analytic) responding on the pseudoword categorization task was associated with strong automatic, implicit memory encoding of frequency-of-occurrence information. Data are discussed in terms of the possibility that criterion-attribute category knowledge, once established, may be expressed with few attentional resources. The data indicate that attention resource requirements, even for the same stimuli and task, vary depending on the category rule system utilized. Also, the automaticity emerging from familiarity with analytic category exemplars is very different from the automaticity arising from extensive practice on a semantic category search task. The data do not support any simple mapping of analytic and nonanalytic forms of category learning onto the automatic and effortful processing dichotomy and challenge simple models of brain asymmetries for such procedures.     

Computational Versus Associative Models of Simple Conditioning

In associative models of simple conditioning, conductive connections (associations, Hebbian synapses) are strengthened by the repetitive temporal pairing of stimuli. The associations cause the animal to behave more adaptively, but they do not encode information about objectively specifiable properties of the conditioning experience. In information processing (computational) models, the temporal intervals in that experience are timed and the results recorded in memory for later use in computations that determine the decisions whether and when to respond to the conditioned stimulus. The predictions of these latter models depend on the ratios of remembered and currently experienced temporal intervals; hence, they are time-scale invariant. Two examples of empirical time-scale invariance are described: Neither the delay of reinforcement nor the ratio of reinforced to unreinforced presentations of the conditioned stimulus affects rates of acquisition and extinction. Time-scale invariance has far-reaching implications for models of the processes that underlie conditioning, for example, models of Hebbian synapses.     

How Do People Process Health Information? Applications in an Age of Individualized Communication

Advances in computer technology have made it possible to customize communication, including health-education materials, to the specific needs and interests of any individual. Studies show that individually tailored health-education materials are more effective than generic materials in promoting changes in a variety of health-related behaviors. Theory and research in information processing provide an explanation for why such materials are effective. This article discusses current research on how individuals process tailored health information, and discusses directions for future research in this area.     

Ignorance May Be Bliss, But Thought Suppression Promotes Superficial Cognitive Processing

This study examined the impact of thought suppression on the quality of cognitive processing and self-reported mood. While completing a stream-of-consciousness task about two topics sequentially, participants were either instructed to suppress negative thoughts or were given no suppression instructions. Computer-based content analyses indicated that thought suppression led to significantly less causal reasoning and discrepancy seeking. However, the suppression of negative thoughts also resulted in a more positive mood. Results suggest that thought suppression can improve mood but it comes with the cognitive cost of superficial processing.     

Face processing in cotton-top tamarins (Saguinus oedipus)

Current research on face processing in primates has focused on a few species, mostly macaques and chimpanzees; to date, only one New World monkey, the squirrel monkey, has been tested. We explored face processing, and the inversion effect in particular, in a New World primate species, the cotton-top tamarin (Saguinus oedipus). In phase 1 of our study, we trained subjects to discriminate between two faces and two scrambled faces; we then presented the tamarins with a series of novel probes in order to determine the features underlying classification. Results showed that the tamarins relied on the external contour of the face for discrimination more than the internal features and their configuration. Statistical analyses revealed no differences in accuracy or response times to upright versus inverted stimuli, and thus no inversion effect. In phase 2, we provided subjects with additional training on the face versus scrambled face discrimination task in order to focus their attention on the configuration of the internal features. Accuracy data revealed individual differences in how tamarins classified these stimuli, even though each subject was trained in the same way. In phase 3, we tested for generalization to a new set of face stimuli, as well as for the capacity to show an inversion effect. For one subject who attended to the configuration of internal features, we found significant evidence of generalization, but no evidence for an inversion effect. Electronic Publication     

听写困难儿童的整体字形加工特点

听写困难是指儿童能够认读不能听写的现象。本研究以部件启动和整字启动任务中的探测字命名反应时差值,作为整体字形加工水平的指标,间接考察了听写困难儿童的整体字形加工特点。结果发现,听写对照组被试的整体字形加工在呈现时间为75 ms和300 ms时发生,而在150 ms时没有发生;听写困难组被试的整体字形加工仅在75 ms时发生,而在150 ms和300 ms时未发生。两组被试在75 ms时的整体字形加工水平之间没有显著差异。结果表明,听写困难被试仅仅在早期知觉阶段存在整体字形加工,而在词汇加工阶段的整体字形加工缺乏或延迟。     

ADHD儿童的选择性抑制

采用较传统停止信号任务更为精确的选择性停止信号任务,探索ADHD的选择性抑制缺陷的机制。结果发现,ADHD儿童在选择性停止信号任务上,抑制失败的比率明显高于正常儿童,但是其执行加工速度和抑制加工速度与正常儿童没有差异,另外,ADHD儿童表现出了更大的反应变异性。研究认为,ADHD在选择性停止信号任务上的抑制缺陷并非由于抑制加工速度过慢所导致,而是由于其不能很好地维持最佳的激活状态所导致,状态调节理论更能反映ADHD的本质。     

Memory for Angry Faces,Impulsivity, and Problematic Behavior in Adolescence

Research has shown that cognitive processes like the attribution of hostile intention or angry emotion to others contribute to the development and maintenance of conduct problems. However, the role of memory has been understudied in comparison with attribution biases. The aim of this study was thus to test if a memory bias for angry faces was related to conduct problems in youth. Adolescents from a junior secondary school were presented with angry and happy faces and were later asked to recognize the same faces with a neutral expression. They also completed an impulsivity questionnaire. A teacher assessed their behavior. The results showed that a better recognition of angry faces than happy faces predicted conduct problems and hyperactivity/inattention as reported by the teacher. The memory bias effect was more pronounced for impulsive adolescents. It is suggested that a memory bias for angry faces favors disruptive behavior but that a good ability to control impulses may moderate the negative impact of this bias.