Semantic Priming Task Research Articles

Activity in Occipito-Temporal Cortex Is Involved in Tool-Use Planning and Contributes to Tool-Related Semantic Neural Representations

Abstract Tool use and language are highly refined human abilities which may show neural commonalities due to their potential reciprocal interaction during evolution. Recent work provided evidence for shared neural resources between tool use and syntax. However, whether activity within the tool-use network also contributes to semantic neural representations of tool nouns remains untested. To this aim, we identified the tool-use planning network with functional magnetic resonance imaging while participants used pliers. The very same participants underwent a semantic priming task including two categories, tool nouns and animal nouns, to highlight the respective underlying networks. With multivariate analyses of the activation neural patterns, we tested whether activity in tool-use brain clusters takes part in the neural representation of tool nouns as compared with animal nouns. The results revealed that word semantic categories were decoded within the left occipito-temporal cortex activated by preparing to use a tool, with similar patterns of brain activity for words within the same category. In addition, in the same area, neural activations for tool nouns were found to be higher than those for animal nouns. These findings suggest that activity in tool-use related brain areas encodes semantic information separately for tool nouns and animal nouns, thus supporting the embodiment of tool-noun processing in the tool-use sensorimotor network.

Timecourse of bottom-up and top-down language processing during a picture-based semantic priming task

ABSTRACT Understanding spoken language requires rapid analysis of incoming information at multiple levels. Information at lower levels (e.g. acoustic/phonetic) cascades forward to affect processing at higher levels (e.g. lexical/semantic), and higher-level information may feed back to influence lower-level processing. Most studies have sought to examine a single stage of processing in isolation. Consequently, there is a poor understanding of how different stages relate temporally. In the present study, we characterise multiple stages of linguistic processing simultaneously as they unfold. Listeners (N = 30) completed a priming task while we collected their EEG, where a picture (e.g. of a peach) biased them to expect a target word from a minimal pair (e.g. beach/peach). We examine the processes of perceptual gradiency, semantic integration, and top-down feedback, to yield a more complete understanding of how these processes relate in time. Then, we discuss how the results from simplified priming paradigms may compare to more naturalistic settings.

Working Memory Capacity and Contextual Novel Linguistic Input: A Cross-Modal Priming Study on Persian-English Subordinate Bilinguals.

The present study investigated the effect of verbal working memory capacity (VWMC) on the processing of semantic information during on-line lexical ambiguity resolution of bilinguals. Seventeen Persian-English subordinate bilinguals of similar proficiency level were recruited to perform two experimental tasks: (1) a multi-load-level reading span task designed to measure their VWMC and (2) a cross-modal semantic priming task (CMPT), 24h subsequent to the last encoding session, to assess their performance on semantic processing of L2 homographs whose subordinate readings were deemed "novel" for them. An overall 2 × 3 repeated-measures ANOVA revealed a statistically significant difference in the processing of the encoded semantic information between high and low WMC participants. The findings of the experiments lend support to the veracity of the assumptions made by Reordered Access Model in that biasing semantic context facilitates the ambiguity resolution of lexical items. Lastly, the pedagogical implications of the findings were expounded on.

Can Professionals Resist Cognitive Bias Elicited by the Visual System? Reversed Semantic Prime Effect and Decision Making in the Workplace: Reaction Times and Accuracy.

Information that comes from the environment reaches the brain-and-body system via sensory inputs that can operate outside of conscious awareness and influence decision processes in different ways. Specifically, decision-making processes can be influenced by various forms of implicit bias derived from individual-related factors (e.g., individual differences in decision-making style) and/or stimulus-related information, such as visual input. However, the relationship between these subjective and objective factors of decision making has not been investigated previously in professionals with varying seniority. This study explored the relationship between decision-making style and cognitive bias resistance in professionals compared with a group of newcomers in organisations. A visual "picture-picture" semantic priming task was proposed to the participants. The task was based on primes and probes' category membership (animals vs. objects), and after an animal prime stimulus presentation, the probe can be either five objects (incongruent condition) or five objects and an animal (congruent condition). Behavioural (i.e., accuracy-ACC, and reaction times-RTs) and self-report data (through the General Decision-Making Scale administration) were collected. RTs represent an indirect measure of the workload and cognitive effort required by the task, as they represent the time it takes the nervous system to receive and integrate incoming sensory information, inducing the body to react. For both groups, the same level of ACC in both conditions and higher RTs in the incongruent condition were found. Interestingly, for the group of professionals, the GDMS-dependent decision-making style negatively correlates with ACC and positively correlates with RTs in the congruent condition. These findings suggest that, under the incongruent decision condition, the resistance to cognitive bias requires the same level of cognitive effort, regardless of seniority. However, with advancing seniority, in the group of professionals, it has been demonstrated that a dependent decision-making style is associated with lower resistance to cognitive bias, especially in conditions that require simpler decisions. Whether this result depends on age or work experience needs to be disentangled from future studies.

Circadian modulation of the time course of automatic and controlled semantic processing

ABSTRACT We investigated whether chronotype and time-of-day modulate the time course of automatic and controlled semantic processing. Participants performed a category semantic priming task at either the optimal or non-optimal time of day. We varied the prime-target onset asynchrony (100-, 450-, 650-, and 850-ms SOAs) and kept the percentage of unrelated targets constant at 80%. Automatic processing was expected with the short SOA, and controlled processing with longer SOAs. Intermediate-types (Experiment 1) verified that our task was sensitive to capturing both types of processes and served as a reference to assess themin extreme chronotypes. Morning-type and evening-type participants (Experiment 2) differed in the influence of time of testing on priming effects. Morning-types applied control in all conditions, and no performance modulation by time-of-day was observed. In contrast, evening-types were most adversely affected by the time of day to shift from automatic-based to controlled-based responses. Also, they were considerably affected in successfully implementing controlled processing with long intervals, particularly at the non-optimal time of day, with inhibitory priming showing only a marginally significant effect at the longest SOA. These results suggest that extreme chronotypes may be associated with different styles of cognitive control. Morning-types would be driven by a proactive control style, whereas a reactive control style might be applied by evening-types.

Using electrophysiological correlates of early semantic priming to test models of reading aloud

The speed at which semantics is accessed by words with consistent (simple) and inconsistent (difficult) spelling–sound correspondences can be used to test predictions of models of reading aloud. Dual-route models that use a word-form lexicon predict consistent words may access semantics before inconsistent words. The Triangle model, alternatively, uses only a semantic system and no lexicons. It predicts inconsistent words may access semantics before consistent words, at least for some readers. We tested this by examining event-related potentials in a semantic priming task using consistent and inconsistent target words with either unrelated/related or unrelated/nonword primes. The unrelated/related primes elicited an early effect of priming on the N1 with consistent words. This result supports dual-route models but not the Triangle model. Correlations between the size of early priming effects between the two prime groups with inconsistent words were also very weak, suggesting early semantic effects with inconsistent words were not predictable by individual differences. Alternatively, there was a moderate strength correlation between the size of the priming effect with consistent and inconsistent words in the related/unrelated prime group on the N400. This offers a possible locus of individual differences in semantic processing that has not been previously reported.

Individual Differences in Working Memory Capacity Modulate Electrophysiological Correlates of Semantic Negative Priming From Single Words.

In the present study, event-related potentials (ERPs) were registered during a semantic negative priming (NP) task in participants with higher and lower working memory capacity (WMC). On each trial participants had to actively ignore a briefly presented single prime word, which was followed either immediately or after a delay by a mask. Thereafter, either a semantically related or an unrelated target word was presented, to which participants made a semantic categorization judgment. The ignored prime produced a behavioral semantic NP in delayed (but not in immediate) masking trials, and only for participants with a higher-WMC. Both masking type and WMC also modulated ERP priming effects. When the ignored prime was immediately followed by a mask (which impeded its conscious identification) a reliable N400 modulation was found irrespective of participants’ WMC. However, when the mask onset following the prime was delayed (thus allowing its conscious identification), an attenuation of a late positive ERP (LPC) was observed in related compared to unrelated trials, but only in the higher-WMC group showing reliable behavioral NP. The present findings demonstrate for the first time that individual differences in WMC modulate both behavioral measures and electrophysiological correlates of semantic NP.

The status of conventional metaphorical meaning in the L2 lexicon

AbstractThis paper investigates how L2 speakers of English process conventional metaphorical expressions. While much of the literature on L2 processing of figurative expressions focuses on idioms only, the aim of this paper is to investigate how L2 speakers process conventional metaphorical expressions. The results of a cross-modal semantic priming task show that conventional metaphors have a special status in comparison to literal language in the L2 lexicon. The differences in reaction times show that L2 speakers are aware of the connections between literal primes and targets, resulting in slower reaction times, while this effect is not found in the metaphorical condition. This demonstrates that even when metaphorical language is very conventional, it can cause difficulties for L2 speakers. Furthermore, these results show that conventional metaphorical expressions can pose a semantic and pragmatic challenge for language learners, thus creating a need for explicit teaching of metaphorical meanings of polysemous words.

Using the Self-Referencing Task to Produce Durable Change on Food Evaluations Measured via the IAT

In many daily life situations, eating behaviour manifests itself under conditions of automaticity. Associative learning procedures have proven reliable to change food items’ evaluations inferred from performances in indirect tasks, such as the Implicit Association Test (IAT). Targeting two alternative food brands, we investigated the impact of the Self-Referencing (SR) task on IAT performances measured immediately after the manipulation and one week later. Capitalizing on the structural features of the SR task, a first study (<em>N</em> = 145) demonstrated the durable effect of the manipulation on the IAT. An advantage in automatic responding for the snack brand paired with the self was detected right after the SR task and one week later. Instead, the SR manipulation showed no impact on self-reported evaluations. Moreover, a semantic priming task administered right after the SR task indicated response facilitation for the self-related target brand when self-stimuli were used as primes. Experiment 2 (<em>N</em> = 268, pre-registered) targeted two alternative food brands and replicated the lasting effect on the IAT, thus demonstrating the generalizability of the effect. Moreover, we extended the results’ validity by showing that SR can generate a durable effect on a behavioural choice task. We discussed the effectiveness of the SR in producing lasting effects on the IAT and other instances of automatic behavior and the potential implications for research in the food domain.

Does adding beer to coffee enhance the activation of drinks? An ERP study of semantic category priming

ABSTRACT Categorization – whether of objects, ideas, or events – is a cognitive process that is essential for human thinking, reasoning, and making sense of everyday experiences. Categorization abilities are typically measured by the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) similarity subtest, which consists of naming the shared category of two items (e.g., ‘How are beer and coffee alike’). Previous studies show that categorization, as measured by similarity tasks, requires executive control functions. However, other theories and studies indicate that semantic memory is organized into taxonomic and thematic categories that can be activated implicitly in semantic priming tasks. To explore whether categories can be primed during a similarity task, we developed a double semantic priming paradigm. We measured the priming effect of two primes on a target word that was taxonomically or thematically related to both primes (double priming) or only one of them (single priming). Our results show a larger and additive priming effect in the double priming condition compared to the single priming condition, as measured by both response times and, more consistently, event-related potentials. Our results support the view that taxonomic and thematic categorization can occur during a double priming task and contribute to improving our knowledge on the organization of semantic memory into categories. These findings show how abstract categories can be activated, which likely shapes the way we think and interact with our environment. Our study also provides a new cognitive tool that could be useful to understand the categorization difficulties of neurological patients.

Implicit Semantic Processing of Linguistic and Non-linguistic Stimuli in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder

While many individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience difficulties with language processing, non-linguistic semantic processing may be intact. We examined neural responses to an implicit semantic priming task by comparing N400 responses—an event-related potential related to semantic processing—in response to semantically related or unrelated pairs of words or pictures. Adults with ASD showed larger N400 responses than typically developing adults for pictures, but no group differences occurred for words. However, we also observed complex modulations of N400 amplitude by age and by level of autistic traits. These results offer important implications for how groups are delineated and compared in autism research.

Data-driven computational models reveal perceptual simulation in word processing

In their strongest formulation, theories of grounded cognition claim that concepts are made up of sensorimotor information. Following such equivalence, perceptual properties of objects should consistently influence processing, even in purely linguistic tasks, where perceptual information is neither solicited nor required. Previous studies have tested this prediction in semantic priming tasks, but they have not observed perceptual influences on participants’ performances. However, those findings suffer from critical shortcomings, which may have prevented potential visually grounded/perceptual effects from being detected. Here, we investigate this topic by applying an innovative method expected to increase the sensitivity in detecting such perceptual effects. Specifically, we adopt an objective, data-driven, computational approach to independently quantify vision-based and language-based similarities for prime-target pairs on a continuous scale. We test whether these measures predict behavioural performance in a semantic priming mega-study with various experimental settings. Vision-based similarity is found to facilitate performance, but a dissociation between vision-based and language-based effects was also observed. Thus, in line with theories of grounded cognition, perceptual properties can facilitate word processing even in purely linguistic tasks, but the behavioural dissociation at the same time challenges strong claims of sensorimotor and conceptual equivalence.

Semantic priming and reading skills among Spanish-speaking dual language learners

ABSTRACT Substantial research among bilingual adults indicates that exposure to words primes other semantically related words within and across languages, as well as the direct translation equivalents [e.g. Chen and Ng 1989. “Semantic Facilitation and Translation Priming Effects in Chinese-English Bilinguals.” Memory & Cognition 17: 454–462]. However, there is less research on semantic and translation priming among bilingual children. The purpose of this study was to evaluate semantic priming effects as an indicator of underlying lexical quality among Spanish-speaking dual language learners (DLLs) in the U.S., including examination of whether semantic and translation priming effects were related to children’s reading-related skills. Ninety-five Spanish-speaking DLLs in second and fourth grade completed an eye-tracking semantic priming task along with measures of English and Spanish reading-related skills. Results indicated that there were consistent translation priming effects, with observed translation priming stronger from English to Spanish than from Spanish to English. Additionally, there were consistent within-English semantic priming effects. Results suggested that semantic priming effects were stronger for children with higher levels of English vocabulary and reading comprehension than they were for children with lower levels of English vocabulary and reading comprehension. Findings are discussed in the context of theoretical models of bilingual language processing, as well as the lexical quality hypothesis [e.g. Perfetti 2007. “Reading Ability: Lexical Quality to Comprehension.” Scientific Studies of Reading 11: 357–383].

Early information processing in narcissism: Heightened sensitivity to negative but not positive evaluative attributes

Previous experimental evidence has revealed that people with high self-reported narcissism demonstrate heightened sensitivity to negative evaluative stimuli, suggesting a defensive motivational style related to fragile self-views. It remains less clear whether people with high self-reported narcissism demonstrate similar heightened sensitivity to positive evaluative stimuli in line with the view of narcissism as an adaptive self-enhancement system related to (very) positive self-views. Participants (N = 85) were tested on computer based semantic priming tasks and completed the Narcissistic Personality Inventory and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Experiment 1 investigated sensitivity to negative (e.g. “worthless”) and Experiment 2 sensitivity to positive (e.g. “brilliant”) words in people with higher self-reported narcissism. We explored for the first time associations between heightened sensitivity and facets of narcissism. Results showed participants with high self-reported narcissism were faster at detecting negative but not positive words, with the onset of sensitivity occurring very early in information processing. This heightened sensitivity to negative words was predicted by scores on the Superiority sub-scale of the NPI. The present results confirm that heightened sensitivity to evaluative stimuli in narcissism is likely the result of a defensive style related to fragile self-views rather than being part of a healthy adaptive self-enhancement system.

Semantic Negative Priming From an Ignored Single-Prime Depends Critically on Prime-Mask Inter-Stimulus Interval and Working Memory Capacity.

The aim of this study is to examine the link between working memory capacity and the ability to exert cognitive control. Here, participants with either high or low working memory capacity (WMC) performed a semantic negative priming (NP) task as a measure of cognitive control. They were required to ignore a single prime word followed by a pattern mask appearing immediately or after a delay. The prime could be semantically related or unrelated to an upcoming target word where a forced-choice categorization was required. Each type of mask (immediate vs. delayed) appeared randomly from trial to trial. Results demonstrated that, when the ignored prime was immediately followed by the mask, neither of the groups (high or low WMC) showed reliable NP. In clear contrast, when the mask onset was delayed responses latencies were reliably slower for semantically related trials than for unrelated trials (semantic NP), but only for the high WMC group. The present results clearly demonstrate that semantic NP from single ignored primes depends on both the masking pattern that follows the prime (immediate vs. delayed mask), and on working memory capacity.

Consumer response to service brand physical elements: Using a semantic priming task to explore implicit understanding of service brand meaning

Consumers' responses to design features involve both conscious and non-conscious information processing. The current research therefore argues that a combination of explicit and implicit measures should be used to assess consumer understanding of service brand meaning conveyed by a service brand's physical elements. However, most methods traditionally used to evaluate design meaning are explicit methods, based on conscious cognitive processes. The current research addresses this gap by documenting how understanding of service brand meaning conveyed by a service brand's physical elements can be tapped by an implicit measure. More specifically, it aims to investigate the extent to which a greater ability to decode meaning conveyed by design features results in differences in implicit understanding of service brand meaning. This research uses a Semantic Priming Task to assess associative strength between brand meaning and a service brand's physical elements. Results (N = 157) show that command of the design language, captured by design acumen and involvement in the product category, results in greater ability to implicitly understand brand meaning conveyed by a service brand's physical elements, and moderates the implicit-explicit relationship. Results suggest that combining implicit and explicit measures may help practitioners in charge of creating brand's physical elements, especially when associations between design types and brand impressions are not constant across product categories.

The Characteristic of Semantic Priming in School-age Children with High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder

본 연구는 학령기 고기능 자폐 스펙트럼 장애 아동과 일반 아동을 대상으로 의미연관성에 따른 ‘의미점화’(semantic priming)특성을 비교하였다. 이를 위해 고기능 자폐 스펙트럼 장애 아동 15명과 생활연령 및 표현어휘능력을 일치시킨 일반 아동 15명에게 의미점화과 제를 실시한 후, 반응정확도 및 반응속도 그리고 오류유형을 분석하였다. 연구결과, 범주 관계, 기능관계에서 반응정확도 및 반응속도는 의미관련 조건과 의미 무관련 조건 모두두 집단 간에 차이가 없었다. 또한 오류유형 분석에서 범주관계에서는 두 집단 간 오류 유형에 차이가 없었으며, 점화조건에도 영향을 받지 않은 것으로 나타났으나, 기능관계에 서는 의미관련 여부에 따른 의미점화 조건에 따라 오류유형에 차이가 있는 것으로 나타 났다.This study investigate the characteristics of semantic priming between children with High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder(HFASD) and typically developing children(TD). HFASD(n=15) and TD(n=15) matched on chronological age(CA), expressive vocabulary ability, perceptual reasoning index participated. The semantic priming task examines the lexical processing ability by dividing it into category coordinate relations and function relations. There is no difference in response accuracy and reaction time. The results showed that lexical processing was similar to children with HFASD and TD, who were matched on age, expressive vocabulary and perceptual reasoning index. These results can be interpreted as having no difficulty in the basic ability of word level for HFASD with normal language and cognitive abilities. There were significant interactions error type and prime condition in function relations.

Validity of an eyetracking method for capturing auditory–visual cross-format semantic priming

ABSTRACTIntroduction: Semantic priming paradigms are important for understanding lexical–semantic processing and the nature of linguistic deficits accompanying language performance in neurologically impaired individuals such as people with aphasia. Reaction-time-(RT)-based traditional semantic priming tasks entail potential confounds, especially problematic when applied to people with aphasia, who may have concomitant neurocognitive challenges that limit task performance. Some of these confounds include requirements of following complex instructions, making metalinguistic judgments, and using speech or limb-based motor actions to indicate overt responses. Eyetracking methods have great potential for avoiding some of these confounds. We tested the validity of an eyetracking method in capturing semantic priming in an auditory–visual cross-format priming paradigm (auditory word prime–visual image target).Method: A total of 72 neurologically unimpaired adults participated in two phases: a stimulus development phase using traditional priming (n = 32) and an experimental eyetracking phase (n = 40). Each phase included two conditions, representing distinct levels of prime–target semantic relatedness: unrelated and related. Mean RT data from the traditional priming (stimuli development) phase guided image selection for the eyetracking experiment. Eyetracking indices of fixation duration and latency of fixation were recorded to capture semantic priming in the eyetracking experiment.Results: Eye fixation data indicated that images related to auditory primes were attended to earlier and attracted significantly greater visual attention than unrelated images. These results mirrored RT data from the traditional priming method, which showed faster RT latencies and more accurate naming performance for related images than for unrelated images.Conclusions: Results support the validity of eyetracking indices of semantic priming and offer a robust testing protocol for future studies in this line of research. Current clinical relevance for people with aphasia is highlighted. Further empirical testing of the psychometric properties of the eyetracking measures in various semantic priming contexts is recommended.

"Fast" versus "slow" word integration of visual and olfactory objects: EEG biomarkers of decision speed variability.

In psychological experiments, behavioral speed varies across trials, and this variation is often associated with corresponding fluctuations in cortical activity. Little is known about such cortical variations in semantic priming tasks where target words are matched with preceding sensory object cues. Here, two visually presented target words ("pear" and "lilac") were repeatedly cued by corresponding odors or pictures, and the participants were to indicate matching or nonmatching combinations. Data were split in behaviorally "fast" versus "slow" trials. We hypothesized that slow trials would be associated with higher prestimulus alpha activity and reduced ERP amplitudes, and that response-time differences between odor-cued and picture-cued trials would be especially large in slow behavioral trials. Results confirmed that slow trials showed increased alpha-band activity prior to word target onset, as well as amplitude decreases in the sensory P1 and semantic N400 components. However, no interactions between cue-modality and processing speed were observed. Instead, odor-cue integration responses were uniquely delayed on incongruent trials, a novel behavioral effect that was not observed in EEG measures. The results show that semantic integration speed is reflected in cortical activity before and during stimulus processing. Behavioral interactions with cue modality did not correspond to observed cortical activity changes, perhaps because olfactory circuits are not readily observed in scalp-recorded EEG. We conclude that combining behavioral speed variability and cortical EEG measures is useful in understanding the fluctuating nature of cognitive processing sequences. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

The impact of variety of episodic contexts on the integration of novel words into semantic network

ABSTRACTThe current study examined whether and how the variety of episodic contexts influences the integration of novel words into semantic network via thematic and taxonomic relations in a semantic priming task with event-related potential (ERP) technique. The novel words were acquired from discourses containing either single or multiple episodes. We found that corresponding concepts, targets thematic-related to learning episodes (Experiment 1) and taxonomic-related targets (Experiment 2) elicited semantic-priming N400s/LPCs effects compared to the unrelated targets in both conditions, whereas the targets thematic-related to unlearned episodes (Experiment 1) and feature-related targets (Experiment 2) elicited semantic-priming N400s/LPCs effects only in the multiple episodic condition. These results indicated that only the novel words learned from variable episodes could successfully prime thematically related words in unlearned episodes and feature-related words. Our findings suggest that the variety of episodic contexts contributes to establishing more stable and richer semantic representations of the novel words.