Document Detail


Semantic processing of highly repeated concepts presented in single-word trials: Electrophysiological and behavioral correlates.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  20109518     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
Repetition has often been associated with a reduction or a suppression of semantic effects. However, several studies have reported that semantic processing can still be effective for repeated target stimuli when the context, prime word or sentence frame, changes from trial to trial. This type of context-target designs allows to study semantic associations between repeated words. However, it is not optimal to study single concepts or categories and therefore structural aspects of semantic memory. Here, we tested whether semantic effects could be observed if single-word trials were used. Concrete and Abstract words were presented multiple times in two concrete-abstract classification experiments. In the first experiment, 6 words of each category were repeatedly presented. In the second experiment, only one word of each category was used. Results of both experiments showed significant effects of concreteness on reaction times and N400-like event-related potentials (ERPs), which were comparable to those reported in non-repeated conditions. In the second experiment, in which repetitions occurring in consecutive and non-consecutive trials were contrasted, N400-like effects were observed only for non-consecutive repetitions. These findings suggest that it could be possible to study the brain activity corresponding to individual concepts in experimental designs using single-word trials, provided that consecutive repetitions are avoided.
Authors:
Louis Renoult; Mathieu B Brodeur; J Bruno Debruille
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't     Date:  2010-01-28
Journal Detail:
Title:  Biological psychology     Volume:  84     ISSN:  1873-6246     ISO Abbreviation:  Biol Psychol     Publication Date:  2010 May 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2010-05-24     Completed Date:  2010-08-23     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  0375566     Medline TA:  Biol Psychol     Country:  Netherlands    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  206-20     Citation Subset:  IM    
Copyright Information:
Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Affiliation:
Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Adolescent
Adult
Brain Mapping / methods
Electroencephalography / methods
Evoked Potentials / physiology*
Female
Humans
Male
Neuropsychological Tests
Photic Stimulation / methods
Principal Component Analysis
Reaction Time / physiology*
Semantics*
Time Factors
Verbal Behavior
Vocabulary*
Young Adult

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


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