Robustness of phonolexical representations relates to phonetic flexibility for difficult second language sound contrasts

2018 ◽  
Vol 22 (5) ◽  
pp. 1085-1100 ◽  
Author(s):  
MIQUEL LLOMPART ◽  
EVA REINISCH
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Lexical Decision ◽  
Lexical Decision Task ◽  
Learning Task ◽  
Decision Task ◽  
Decision Performance ◽  
Distributional Learning ◽  
The Relationship

Listening to speech entails adapting to vast amounts of variability in the signal. The present study examined the relationship between flexibility for adaptation in a second language (L2) and robustness of L2 phonolexical representations. Phonolexical encoding and phonetic flexibility for German learners of English were assessed by means of a lexical decision task containing nonwords with sound substitutions and a distributional learning task, respectively. Performance was analyzed for an easy (/i/-/ɪ/) and a difficult contrast (/ε/-/æ/, where /æ/ does not exist in German). Results showed that for /i/-/ɪ/ listeners were quite accurate in lexical decision, and distributional learning consistently triggered shifts in categorization. For /ε/-/æ/, lexical decision performance was poor but individual participants’ scores related to performance in distributional learning: the better learners were in their lexical decision, the smaller their categorization shift. This suggests that, for difficult L2 contrasts, rigidity at the phonetic level relates to better lexical performance.

An Electrophysiological and Psychophysical Analysis of Hypnotic Visual Hallucinations

1993 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 301-312 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arthur H. Perlini ◽  
Audrey L. Lorimer ◽  
Kenneth B. Campbell ◽  
Nicholas P. Spanos
Keyword(s):  
Lexical Decision ◽  
Lexical Decision Task ◽  
Response Bias ◽  
Evoked Potential ◽  
Decision Task ◽  
Visual Hallucinations ◽  
Lexical Decisions ◽  
Psychophysical Analysis ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
The Relationship

We examined the physiological and behavioral concomitants of high hypnotizable subjects reporting the capacity to hypnotically hallucinate. Subjects were required to perform a lexical decision task under baseline and four hypnotic hallucination conditions: obstructive, transparent, negative, and semantic. Analyses were conducted on various evoked potential components and psychophysical indices (RTs, sensitivity, response bias). Overall, hypnotic hallucinations did not alter VEPs over baseline; however, more liberal analyses indicated that the obstructive hallucination produced suppressions in the VEPs at P1 (left occipital), P2 (midline parietal) and P3 (midline parietal) compared to baseline. P1 latencies were also larger in the obstructive condition. Lexical decisions took longer in the hallucination conditions, and both sensitivity and response bias were reduced in these conditions. The relationship of these indices to attention are discussed.

Connecting the research fields of lexical ambiguity and figures of speech

2015 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 133-151 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bernadet Jager ◽  
Alexandra A. Cleland
Keyword(s):  
Lexical Decision ◽  
Lexical Decision Task ◽  
Decision Task ◽  
Categorization Task ◽  
Semantic Categorization ◽  
Figures Of Speech ◽  
Research Fields ◽  
Processing And Storage ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
And Storage

The current studies investigated the processing and storage of lexical metaphors and metonyms by combining two existing methodologies from ambiguity research: counting the number of senses (as in e.g., Rodd, Gaskell, & Marslen-Wilson, 2002) and determining the relationship between those senses (as in e.g., Klepousniotou & Baum, 2007). We have called these two types of ambiguity ‘numerical polysemy’ and ‘relational polysemy’. Studies employing a lexical decision task (Experiment 1) and semantic categorization task (Experiment 2) compared processing of metaphorical and non-metaphorical words while controlling for number of senses. The effects of relational polysemy were investigated in more detail with a further lexical decision study (Experiment 3). Results showed a metaphor advantage and metonymy disadvantage which conflict with earlier findings of reverse patterns (e.g., Klepousniotou & Baum, 2007). The fact that both conventional lexical metaphors and metonyms can incur either processing advantages or disadvantages strongly suggests they are not inherently stored differently in the mental lexicon.

PROCESSING OF GENDER AND NUMBER AGREEMENT IN RUSSIAN AS A SECOND LANGUAGE

2016 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 97-128 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalia Romanova ◽  
Kira Gor
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Lexical Decision ◽  
Lexical Decision Task ◽  
Priming Effect ◽  
Decision Task ◽  
Priming Effects ◽  
Number Agreement ◽  
L2 Learners ◽  
Default Form ◽  
Processing Mechanisms

The study investigated the processing of Russian gender and number agreement by native (n= 36) and nonnative (n= 36) participants using a visual lexical decision task with priming. The design included a baseline condition that helped dissociate the underlying components of priming (facilitation and inhibition). The results showed no differences in the magnitude of priming between native and nonnative participants, and between gender and number agreement. However, whereas the priming effect in native participants consisted of both facilitation and inhibition, in second language (L2) learners it was characterized by facilitation in the absence of inhibition. Furthermore, the nonnative processing failed to demonstrate the default form bias, which optimized gender and number processing in native participants. Taken together, the findings indicate that although highly proficient L2 learners are able to demonstrate nativelike priming effects, their processing of morphosyntactic information engages different processing mechanisms.

The devil is in the details of hand movement

2015 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 364-389 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu-Cheng Lin ◽  
Ashley S. Bangert ◽  
Ana I. Schwartz
Keyword(s):  
Lexical Decision ◽  
Lexical Decision Task ◽  
Hand Movement ◽  
Letter Position ◽  
Decision Task ◽  
Decision Performance ◽  
Lexical Activation ◽  
Orthographic Coding ◽  
Cross Language ◽  
The Devil

Research with native-speaking monolinguals demonstrates that orthographic coding during lexical access is flexible in terms of letter positioning. Evidence for this comes in part from the observation of priming from transposed-letter (TL) non-words (jugde/judge), which is assumed to arise from spread of activation throughout an orthographically-defined neighborhood. The present study tested the hypothesis that, for bilinguals, orthographic coding of letter position is influenced by cross-language lexical activation. TL non-words were created from English-Spanish cognates that differed in their degree of orthographic overlap as well as from non-cognates. In Experiment 1, these served as primes in a masked lexical decision task. In Experiment 2, they were presented as targets in a mouse-tracking lexical decision task. In both experiments Spanish-­English bilinguals’ lexical decision performance reflected greater TL priming for cognates relative to non-cognates and for cognates with more orthographic overlap relative to cognates with less orthographic overlap.

The lexical decision task as a measure of L2 lexical proficiency

2006 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 147-168 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Harrington
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Lexical Decision ◽  
Lexical Decision Task ◽  
Item Difficulty ◽  
Decision Task ◽  
Performance Accuracy ◽  
Speed Of Response ◽  
Language Research ◽  
Two Measures ◽  
Four Levels

Prior applications of the lexical decision task in second language research have either examined performance accuracy (Meara and Buxton 1987) or speed of response to familiar items (Segalowitz and Segalowitz 1993). This paper examines how well the two measures together serve to discriminate among between-group levels of proficiency and within-group levels of difficulty on an English lexical decision task. Performance was compared across three levels of English proficiency (Intermediate L2, Advanced L2 and English L1 control) and four levels of item difficulty, as defined by frequency of occurrence (words from the 2000, 3000, 5000 and 10,000 most frequently occurring words). Accuracy and reaction time measures systematically decreased as a function of increasing proficiency and frequency level. Response variability, as measured by the coefficient of variance, also decreased as performance improved. The implications of the findings for the use of lexical decision tasks in second language research are discussed.

USING LEXICAL FEATURES TO INVESTIGATE SECOND LANGUAGE LEXICAL DECISION PERFORMANCE

2019 ◽  
Vol 41 (5) ◽  
pp. 911-935 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cynthia Berger ◽  
Scott Crossley ◽  
Stephen Skalicky
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Word Recognition ◽  
Lexical Decision ◽  
Nonnative Speakers ◽  
Age Of Acquisition ◽  
Decision Task ◽  
Large Dataset ◽  
Contextual Diversity ◽  
Decision Performance ◽  
The Impact

AbstractA large dataset of word recognition behavior from nonnative speakers (NNS) of English was collected using an online crowdsourced lexical decision task. Lexical features were used to predict NNS lexical decision latencies and accuracies. Predictors of NNS latencies and accuracy included contextual diversity, age of acquisition, and contextual distinctiveness, while length moderated the impact of contextual diversity and neighborhood size on accuracy. Results have implications for second language word recognition and demonstrate that NNS behavioral data collected through large crowdsourcing projects can afford a rich source for SLA research.

scholarly journals Phonetic categorization ability and vocabulary size contribute to the encoding of difficult second-language phonological contrasts into the lexicon

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
Miquel Llompart
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Lexical Decision ◽  
Decision Task ◽  
Vocabulary Test ◽  
Test Results ◽  
Vocabulary Size ◽  
Advanced Learners ◽  
Decision Performance ◽  
Phonological Contrasts ◽  
Phonetic Categorization

Abstract This study investigated the contribution of second-language (L2) phonetic categorization abilities and vocabulary size to the phonolexical encoding of challenging non-native phonological contrasts into the L2 lexicon. Two groups of German learners of English differing in L2 proficiency (advanced vs. intermediate) participated in an English lexical decision task including words and nonwords with /ɛ/ and /æ/ (/æ/ does not exist in German), an /ɛ/-/æ/ phonetic categorization task and an English vocabulary test. Results showed that the effects of phonetic categorization and vocabulary size on lexical decision performance were modulated by proficiency: categorization predicted /ɛ/-/æ/ nonword rejection accuracy for intermediate learners, whereas vocabulary did so for advanced learners. This suggests that sufficient phonetic identification ability is key for an accurate phonological representation of difficult L2 phones, but, for learners for whom robust phonetic identification is already in place, their ultimate success is tightly linked to their vocabulary size in the L2.

Processing collocations in a second language: A case of first language activation?

2014 ◽  
Vol 36 (5) ◽  
pp. 1193-1221 ◽  
Author(s):  
BRENT WOLTER ◽  
JUNKO YAMASHITA
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Lexical Decision ◽  
Lexical Decision Task ◽  
Language Processing ◽  
First Language ◽  
Current Understanding ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Decision Task ◽  
Language Activation ◽  
Processing Language

ABSTRACTThis study investigated the possible influence of first language (L1) collocational patterns on second language (L2) collocational processing. A lexical decision task was used to assess whether collocational patterns acceptable in the L1 but not the L2 would still be activated when processing language entirely in the L2. The results revealed no such activation. Furthermore, L2 speakers did not produce accelerated processing for control collocations that were acceptable in the L2 but not the L1. Based on these findings, we put forth some theoretical suggestions regarding recent research indicating accelerated processing for congruent over incongruent collocations. Finally, our NS control group revealed some unexpected tendencies that cannot be easily accounted for with our current understanding of L1 language processing.

“You Can’t Hide Your Lyin’ Eyes”: Investigating the Relationship Between Associative Learning, Cue Awareness, and Decision Performance in Detecting Lies

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 99-111
Author(s):  
Ben W. Morrison ◽  
David Johnston ◽  
Mathew Naylor ◽  
Natalie M. V. Morrison ◽  
Daniel Forrest
Keyword(s):  
Associative Learning ◽  
Lie Detection ◽  
Learning Task ◽  
Detection Task ◽  
Decision Task ◽  
Learning Capacity ◽  
Domain Specific ◽  
Correlational Design ◽  
Decision Performance ◽  
The Relationship

Although skilled cue utilization is presumed to result primarily from domain-specific experience, individual differences in learning are theorized to play a significant role. Using a single-group correlational design, this study tested whether individuals’ domain-general associative learning capacity was related to performance in a complex real-world decision task presumed to rely heavily on cues: lie detection. A total of 21 participants completed an associative learning task in the form of a Space Invaders-like game. In the game, those who learn the cues are able to respond faster to the appearance of an enemy ship. Participants were also surveyed on their awareness of cues in the game. This was followed by a lie detection task. It was hypothesized that greater associative learning would be associated with greater awareness of cues in the learning task, and subsequently, superior accuracy in the lie detection task. Participants’ associative learning was correlated with their cue awareness ( r pb = .782, p < .001). Further, learning was associated with better performance in the lie detection task ( r = .544, p = .011); however, accuracy was found to be unrelated to the types of cues reportedly used during detection. These findings have implications for our understanding of cue acquisition and expertise development.

The development of word recognition in a second language

1998 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 99-113 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Muljani ◽  
Keiko Koda ◽  
Danny R. Moates
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Word Recognition ◽  
Lexical Decision ◽  
Lexical Decision Task ◽  
High Frequency ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Decision Task ◽  
First Languages ◽  
Alphabetic Language ◽  
Learning English

AbstractDo differences among first languages (LI) affect word recognition in reading a second language (L2)? Participants in this study had either Indonesian (an alphabetic language) or Chinese (a logographic language) as an L1 and were learning English (an alphabetic language) as an L2. Under the connectionist rubric, it was predicted that an alphabetic LI would facilitate word recognition in an alphabetic L2, especially if the LI and L2 have similar spelling patterns. Facilitation is relative to a logographic LI. The model also predicted a better recognition for high-frequency words in the L2 relative to low-frequency words. The results of a lexical decision task largely confirmed these hypotheses.

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