Neural competition as a developmental process: Early hemispheric specialization for word processing delays specialization for face processing

► The effect of early reading on neural responses to word and face stimuli was examined. ► The greater the amount of word knowledge, the greater the left-lateralization of word N170 and γ band power. ► The word N170 left-lateralization had a negative effect on the face N170 right-lateralization. ► Children's sight vocabulary had a negative effect on the face N170 right-lateralization. ► The neural development of word processing competes with that of face processing in preschool years.