Chapter 12: Language Pt.II Flashcards
What is the relationship between expertise and extrastriate activation during reading?
As we age, we become more sophisticated readers. Require less input from the extrastriate/ fusiform area.
What does the N170 waveform indicate about reading ability?
Adults show an N170 ERP waveform within 200ms of viewing a word. Occurs over posterior occipito-temporal channels. Reflects rapid processing of visual word forms. Similar waveforms occur as we become experts at other categories of stimuli
What is the relationship between white-matter connections and reading ability? Which white-matter bundle is specifically important for reading?
Connections between areas improves reading speed. Left superior corona radiata (near the corpus callosum).
When would you expect to find an N400 and a P560 ERP waveform?
The N400 brainwave is related to linguistic processing, particularly semantics. Detects violations in meaning or syntax. Smaller for sentences that clarify the meaning of ambiguous words (e.g., bank). The P560 occurs when there are superficial, non-semantic changes (e.g., font). The left anterior negativity (LAN) responds when the wrong category of word is used. Example: A verb lemma occurs instead of a noun lemma, such as, “The skinny drinks”. 400ms.
What is the purpose of syntax? What is parsing 2 types(as it applies to syntax)?
Syntax is the structure of words. Instead, we assign structure to incoming words “on the fly”. This is called parsing. Two principles of parsing: Minimal attachment – a mechanism that ensures that syntactic analysis minimizes the number of syntactic nodes to be computed. Late closure – a mechanism that assigns incoming words to the syntactic phrase currently being processed.
What is agrammatic aphasia? What brain area seems to be involved in this disorder?
An inability to form normal syntax. Loss of function words (articles and prepositions). “Go store” Due to damage to Broca’s area, as well as area 22 (on the superior temporal gyrus).
