Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Semantic Priming Effects in a Second Language: An Event-Related Potential Study

Stenberg, Georg LU ; Johansson, Mikael LU orcid and Rosén, Ingmar LU (2004) In Bulletin of the Psychonomic Society 9(Nov Abstract Supplement). p.105-105
Abstract
This study addressed the question whether the second language (L2) of bilinguals can access conceptual memory as directly as their first language (L1). Swedish undergraduates, with English as their second language, performed two tasks in both L1 and L2. Exp. 1 used a picture-name verification task, where pictures induced automatic semantic priming. Exp. 2 used a category-exemplar verification task, where pictures induced strategic priming. The primary measure was reduction of the N400 amplitude in the ERP. Experiment 1 showed a fronto-central priming effect that did not differ between L1 and L2 in amplitude, topographical distribution, or peak latency. Experiment 2 showed a different, centro-parietal priming effect that was similar in... (More)
This study addressed the question whether the second language (L2) of bilinguals can access conceptual memory as directly as their first language (L1). Swedish undergraduates, with English as their second language, performed two tasks in both L1 and L2. Exp. 1 used a picture-name verification task, where pictures induced automatic semantic priming. Exp. 2 used a category-exemplar verification task, where pictures induced strategic priming. The primary measure was reduction of the N400 amplitude in the ERP. Experiment 1 showed a fronto-central priming effect that did not differ between L1 and L2 in amplitude, topographical distribution, or peak latency. Experiment 2 showed a different, centro-parietal priming effect that was similar in amplitude between L1 and L2, but differed in peak latency, and lateral distribution. The study indicates that L2 provides direct automatic access to conceptual memory, although strategic use may recruit partly different neuronal resources in L2 than in L1. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Bulletin of the Psychonomic Society
volume
9
issue
Nov Abstract Supplement
pages
105 - 105
publisher
Psychonomic Society
ISSN
0090-5054
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
b031ce47-e880-4b09-b2e4-f285269c9da2 (old id 1130181)
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 09:18:14
date last changed
2019-11-26 09:47:01
@misc{b031ce47-e880-4b09-b2e4-f285269c9da2,
  abstract     = {{This study addressed the question whether the second language (L2) of bilinguals can access conceptual memory as directly as their first language (L1). Swedish undergraduates, with English as their second language, performed two tasks in both L1 and L2. Exp. 1 used a picture-name verification task, where pictures induced automatic semantic priming. Exp. 2 used a category-exemplar verification task, where pictures induced strategic priming. The primary measure was reduction of the N400 amplitude in the ERP. Experiment 1 showed a fronto-central priming effect that did not differ between L1 and L2 in amplitude, topographical distribution, or peak latency. Experiment 2 showed a different, centro-parietal priming effect that was similar in amplitude between L1 and L2, but differed in peak latency, and lateral distribution. The study indicates that L2 provides direct automatic access to conceptual memory, although strategic use may recruit partly different neuronal resources in L2 than in L1.}},
  author       = {{Stenberg, Georg and Johansson, Mikael and Rosén, Ingmar}},
  issn         = {{0090-5054}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Conference Abstract}},
  number       = {{Nov Abstract Supplement}},
  pages        = {{105--105}},
  publisher    = {{Psychonomic Society}},
  series       = {{Bulletin of the Psychonomic Society}},
  title        = {{Semantic Priming Effects in a Second Language: An Event-Related Potential Study}},
  volume       = {{9}},
  year         = {{2004}},
}