Do phonological and semantic processings of Kanji finish at the same time?

Abstract

Two experiments were designed based on Neisser's visual searching paradigm to compare visual, phonological and semantic processing times of two-character compound Kanji, the Japanese logographic script. In Exp. 1, four undergraduates were asked to scan 10-word lists visually, phonologically or semantically according to the task required to find out a target which is either identical with or similar to the word previously presented at the trial. The results indicated that visual processing is quickest, and phonological and semantic processing finish at the same time. In Exp. 2, two- and four-syllable words were used as stimuli. Five undergraduates' results suggested that the length of syllable has effect on neither phonological nor semantic processing time, and replicated the results of Exp. 1 suggesting that phonological and semantic processing finish at the same time.