Function and content words evoke different brain potentials

1999 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 282-284 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert M. Chapman
Keyword(s):  
Lexical Decision ◽  
Evoked Potentials ◽  
Function Versus ◽  
Word Class ◽  
Connotative Meaning ◽  
Function Words ◽  
Brain Potentials ◽  
Versus Content ◽  
Brain Site ◽  
Decision Times

Word class-specific differences in brain evoked potentials (EP) are discussed for connotative meaning and for function versus content words. A well-controlled experiment found matching lexical decision times for function and content words, but clear EP differences (component with maximum near 550 msec) among function words, content words, and nonwords that depended on brain site. Another EP component, with a 480 msec maximum, differentiated words (either function or content) from nonwords.

Dyspnea-pain counterirritation induced by inspiratory threshold loading: a laser-evoked potentials study

2012 ◽  
Vol 112 (7) ◽  
pp. 1166-1173 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guillaume Bouvier ◽  
Louis Laviolette ◽  
Felix Kindler ◽  
Lionel Naccache ◽  
André Mouraux ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Evoked Potentials ◽  
Somatosensory Evoked Potentials ◽  
Normal Male ◽  
Work Effort ◽  
Top Down ◽  
Laser Evoked Potentials ◽  
Brain Potentials ◽  
Nociceptive Flexion Reflex ◽  
Electrical Stimuli ◽  
Experimentally Induced

Background: experimentally induced dyspnea of the work/effort type inhibits, in a top-down manner, the spinal transmission of nociceptive inputs (dyspnea-pain counterirritation). Previous studies have demonstrated that this inhibition can be assessed by measuring the nociceptive flexion reflex (RIII). However, its clinical application is limited because of the strong discomfort associated with the electrical stimuli required to elicit the RIII reflex. Study objectives: we examined whether the dyspnea-pain counterirritation phenomenon can be evaluated by measuring the effect of work/effort type dyspnea on the magnitude of laser-evoked brain potentials (LEPs). Methods: 10 normal male volunteers were studied (age: 19–30 years). LEPs were elicited using a CO2 laser stimulator delivering 10- to 15-ms stimuli of 6 ± 0.7 W over a 12.5 mm2 area. The EEG was recorded using nine scalp channels. Non-nociceptive somatosensory-evoked potentials (SEPs) served as control. LEPs and SEPs were recorded before, during, and after 10 min of experimentally induced dyspnea [inspiratory threshold loading (ITL)]. Results: pain caused by the nociceptive laser stimulus was mild. ITL consistently induced dyspnea, mostly of the “excessive effort” type. Amplitude of the N2-P2 wave of LEPs decreased by 37.6 ± 13.8% during ITL and was significantly correlated with the intensity of dyspnea [ r = 0.66, CI 95% (0.08–0.92, P = 0.0319)]. In contrast, ITL had no effect on the magnitude of non-nociceptive SEPs. Discussion: experimentally induced dyspnea of the work/effort type reduces the magnitude of LEPs. This reduction correlates with the intensity of dyspnea. The recording of LEPs could constitute a clinically applicable approach to assess the dyspnea-pain counterirritation phenomenon in patients.

Homography and Polysemy as Factors in Bilingual Word Recognition

1992 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 10-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Denise Klein ◽  
Estelle Ann Doctor
Keyword(s):  
Word Recognition ◽  
Lexical Decision ◽  
Response Times ◽  
Semantic Representation ◽  
Bilingual Memory ◽  
Lexical Decisions ◽  
Interlingual Homographs ◽  
Decision Times

This study reports an experiment which examines semantic representation in lexical decisions as a source of interconnection between words in bilingual memory. Lexical decision times were compared for interlingual polysemes such as HAND which share spelling and meaning in both languages, and interlingual homographs such as KIND which share spelling but not meaning. The main result was faster “response times for polysemes than for interlingual homographs. Current theories of monolingual word recognition and bilingual semantic representation are discussed, and the findings are accommodated within the model of bilingual word recognition proposed by Doctor and Klein.

scholarly journals Predictors of second language English lexical recognition: Further insights from a large database of second language lexical decision times

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen Skalicky ◽  
Scott Crossley ◽  
Cynthia M. Berger
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Lexical Decision ◽  
The United States ◽  
English Learning ◽  
Large Database ◽  
Linguistic Features ◽  
Contextual Diversity ◽  
Orthographic Similarity ◽  
Statistical Measures ◽  
Decision Times

In this study we analyze a large database of lexical decision times for English content words made by speakers of English as an additional language residing in the United States. Our first goal was to test whether the use of statistical measures better able to model variation associated with participants and items would replicate findings of a previous analysis of this data (Berger, Crossley, & Skalicky, 2019). Our second goal was to determine whether variables related to experiences using and learning English would interact with linguistic features of the target words. Results from our statistical analysis suggest affirmative answers to both of these questions. First, our results included significant effects for linguistic features related to contextual diversity and contextual distinctiveness, providing a replication of findings from the original study in that words appearing in more textual and lexical contexts were responded to quicker. Second, a measure of length of English learning and a measure of daily English use interacted with a measure of orthographic similarity. Our study provides further evidence regarding how a large, crowdsourced database can be used to obtain a better understanding of second language lexical recognition behavior and provides suggestions for further research.

Well‐being and the accessibility of pleasant and unpleasant concepts

2007 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 169-189 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Borkenau ◽  
Nadine Mauer
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Lexical Decision ◽  
Lexical Decision Task ◽  
Reaction Times ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Decision Task ◽  
Related Concept ◽  
Trait Affect ◽  
Negative Trait ◽  
Decision Times

The trait–congruency hypothesis predicts that persons high in positive or negative trait affect more readily process pleasant or unpleasant stimuli, respectively. In two studies, participants were administered measures of personality and affect. Moreover, a yes/no lexical decision task with pleasant, unpleasant and neutral words was administered in Study 1, whereas a go/no‐go task was used in Study 2. Several methods to increase reliabilities of differences in reaction times are explored. Correlations of measures of personality and trait affect with decision times were mostly consistent with the trait–congruency hypothesis, particularly for decision times in the go/no‐go task that measured individual differences in valence‐specific decision times more reliably. The findings suggest that trait‐related concept accessibility is one source of trait congruity. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

scholarly journals The use of film subtitles to estimate word frequencies

2007 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 661-677 ◽  
Author(s):  
BORIS NEW ◽  
MARC BRYSBAERT ◽  
JEAN VERONIS ◽  
CHRISTOPHE PALLIER
Keyword(s):  
Lexical Decision ◽  
Word Frequency ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Human Interactions ◽  
Explained Variance ◽  
French Words ◽  
Word Frequencies ◽  
Decision Times ◽  
Text Writing

We examine the use of film subtitles as an approximation of word frequencies in human interactions. Because subtitle files are widely available on the Internet, they may present a fast and easy way to obtain word frequency measures in language registers other than text writing. We compiled a corpus of 52 million French words, coming from a variety of films. Frequency measures based on this corpus compared well to other spoken and written frequency measures, and explained variance in lexical decision times in addition to what is accounted for by the available French written frequency measures.

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