title: Word-to-text integration: Message level and lexical level influences in ERPs.
abstract: Although the reading of connected text proceeds in a largely incremental fashion, the relative degree to which message level and lexical level factors contribute to integration processes across sentences remains an open question. We examined the influence of both factors on single words using event-related potentials (ERPs). Word pairs with either strong or weak forward association strength were critical items: embedded as coreferential words within two-sentence passages in a text comprehension task, and as isolated word pairs in a word meaning judgment task. While the N400 ERP component reflected an effect of forward association strength on lexico-semantic processing in the word task (i.e., reduced N400 amplitudes were seen for strongly associated pairs relative to weakly associated pairs), in the comprehension task, passages embedded with any associated word pairs elicited reduced N400 amplitudes relative to coherent baseline passages lacking one of the critical words. These comprehension effects reflect responses from the highest skilled comprehenders. The results demonstrate the effects of message level factors, and reading abilities, on the processing of single words.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology Learning Research and Development Center, University of Pittsburgh, 3939 O'Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, United States; Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, Pittsburgh, PA, United States. Electronic address: jzs48@pitt.edu.
authors.forename: Joseph Z
authors.initials: JZ
authors.lastname: Stafura
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology Learning Research and Development Center, University of Pittsburgh, 3939 O'Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, United States; Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, Pittsburgh, PA, United States. Electronic address: Perfetti@pitt.edu.
authors.forename: Charles A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Perfetti
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D032882:Comprehension / Q000502:physiology*; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007600:Judgment / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D011932:Reading; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: ERPs; Integration; Lexical association; Text comprehension; Word meaning