The Effects of Syntactic Priming on Language Processing and Learning

Abstract

Priming can facilitate the language processing and learning by affecting speakers response to the subsequent stimulus after introducing the new language form, for both comprehension and production. Syntactic priming, as a new branch of priming, is the main focus of this research as it is more practically applicable under psycholinguistic background. In this review, the effects of syntactic priming on language learning and the effects of syntactic priming on the link between language comprehension and production were both explored. It is assumed that there is a common lexical-boost effect as a mediator during the syntactic priming process through the implicit language learning. However, such effect can be somehow independent to the language comprehension based on the current research. Moreover, some neurological measures are applicable when investigating the neuronal correlates of the syntactic priming and lexical boost effect during sentence comprehension and production. In general, this study discussed the non-linear relationship between implicit language learning and syntactic priming highlighted with the lexical mediator effect, the independent effect between lexical and structural content on language comprehension, as well as the similar mechanism shared by language comprehension and production. The previous experiments still lacked the reliability and validity as the variables are difficult, and the tools or strategies used may not be appropriate to accurately measure the result. Hence, causations cannot be formed in a solid state even if some correlations are well evolved with research findings. The future direction, naturally, should keep track of how syntactic priming can better intervene on the language processing and learning program, which in turn reduce the overload of the computational brain and boost the language learning. This review can provide some guidance for the design of educaitonal programs using syntactic priming as well as relevant research.