Document Detail


How perceptual processes help to generate new meaning: an EEG study of chunk decomposition in Chinese characters.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  19695234     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
Chunk decomposition has been regarded as an important process in problem solving that helps problem solvers to generate new solution paths through changing inappropriate problem representations. We studied the neural bases of chunk decomposition in Chinese characters using the electroencephalogram (EEG). Participants decomposed Chinese characters either at the level of radicals or at the level of strokes to generate new target characters with a different meaning. We hypothesized that decomposition at the stroke level would require a more fundamental change in the problem representation that should involve differences in basic visual processing. To test this hypothesis, we compared the alpha rhythm (8-13 Hz) over parietal-occipital regions between the two different conditions. The regrouping of tight chunks (stroke level) exhibited a stronger alpha activation than the regrouping of loose chunks approximately 500 ms prior to response. Thus visual areas were less active during the decomposition of tight chunks. Together with a previous fMRI study the results provide convincing evidence that attenuation of early visual information is required to generate new meaning.
Authors:
Lili Wu; Guenther Knoblich; Gaoxia Wei; Jing Luo
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't     Date:  2009-08-18
Journal Detail:
Title:  Brain research     Volume:  1296     ISSN:  1872-6240     ISO Abbreviation:  Brain Res.     Publication Date:  2009 Nov 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2009-09-28     Completed Date:  2009-12-29     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  0045503     Medline TA:  Brain Res     Country:  Netherlands    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  104-12     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Da-tun Road 10#, Chao-Yang District, Beijing 100101, PR China.
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Alpha Rhythm
Cognition / physiology*
Electroencephalography
Evoked Potentials
Female
Humans
Language
Male
Neuropsychological Tests
Occipital Lobe / physiology*
Parietal Lobe / physiology*
Photic Stimulation
Reaction Time
Reading*
Time Factors
Visual Perception / physiology*
Young Adult

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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