Abstract
Previous studies have identified the Event Related Potential (ERP) components of conflict detection and resolution mechanisms in tasks requiring lexical selection at the individual word level. We investigated the brain potentials associated with these mechanisms in a lexical selection task based on multiword units made up of verb–noun combinations (e.g., eat breakfast, skip school). Native and non-native English speakers were asked to select a familiarized target verb–noun sequence (eat breakfast) between two choices. Trials were low-conflict, with only one plausible candidate (e.g., eat – shoot – breakfast) or high-conflict, with two plausible verbs (e.g., eat – skip – breakfast). Following the presentation of the noun, native English speakers showed a biphasic process of selection, with a conflict-detection centro-parietal negativity between 500 and 600 ms (Ninc), followed by a right frontal effect (RFE) between 600 and 800 ms preceding responses. Late Spanish–English bilinguals showed a similar but more sustained and more widespread effect. Additionally, brain activity was only significantly correlated with performance in native speakers. Results suggest largely similar basic mechanisms, but also that different resources and strategies are engaged by non-native speakers when resolving conflict in the weaker language, with a greater focus on individual words than on multiword units.
Highlights
Previous research has shown that bilinguals experience lexical competition from cross-language activation [1,2,3], even when the other language is not in use
In the remainder of this section, we briefly review the relevant Event Related Potential (ERP) literature on components related to conflict detection; we describe the goals and predictions for the current study regarding the time-course of lexical selection in multiword units by taking direction from the studies reviewed here
In order to examine the issue at hand, we review the literature on related paradigms that has explored ERP components associated with conflict detection
Summary
Previous research has shown that bilinguals experience lexical competition from cross-language activation [1,2,3], even when the other language is not in use. Because lexical selection involves detecting conflict between candidates concurrently available for selection, understanding the process of lexical selection requires investigating the conflict detection and resolution mechanisms involved Increased interest on this question is evidenced by the large number of studies that have focused on the consequences that resolving conflict in lexical selection has in bilinguals’ linguistic and cognitive performance [4,5,6,7,8]. While an individual can be said to skip breakfast in English, its idiomatic Spanish equivalent saltarse el desayuno “jump the breakfast”, if literally translated, would present a native English speaker with a very unusual phrase. Multiword units like these are highly frequent in everyday language usage, with some estimates suggesting that approximately. Familiar multiword units come online when a given target is accessed, i.e., breakfast, which may activate common collocates, e.g., eat and non-target candidates such as skip, serve, or prepare
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