Article ID Journal Published Year Pages File Type
925284 Brain and Language 2014 15 Pages PDF
Abstract

•For word pairs, strength of semantic relation yielded graded amplitudes of the N400.•Sequential presentation allowed anticipation of the second word.•Simultaneous presentation emphasized retrospective processing.•Sequential only: Relationship strength influenced N400 onset latency.•Both prospective and retrospective semantic processing affect N400 amplitude.

Semantic context effects have variously been attributed to prospective processing – predictions about upcoming words – or to retrospective appreciation of relationships after reading both context and target. In two experiments, we altered the core variable distinguishing prospective from retrospective processing, namely time. Word pairs varying in strength of relationship were presented sequentially, to allow time for anticipation of the second word, or simultaneously. For both sorts of presentation, the amplitude of the N400 component of the event-related potential was graded from Unrelated to Moderate/Weak to Strong associates. Strong associates showed a temporal advantage over weaker associates – an earlier context effect – only during sequential presentation. Spatial distributions of the N400 context effects also differed for simultaneous versus sequential presentation.

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