Browsing by Author "Åkerla, Anniina"

Objective. The effects of attention on language processing have been studied extensively, but there is still no clear understanding of to which extent language processing requires attention and to which extent it is automatic. The aim of this study was to examine how selective attention affects semantic processing of sentences in a situation where linguistic information is presented both visually and auditorily simultaneously. Methods. 17 native speakers of Finnish took part in the study. In the experiment, a written and a spoken sentence were presented simultaneously and attention was directed either to the visual modality or to the auditory modality depending on the experimental condition. The last word of the sentence either fit or did not fit the context of the sentence, and the task was to judge whether the sentence was rational or bizarre. Electroencephalography (EEG) was used to measure brain activity. The N400 component, which previous research has found to be linked with semantic processing, was analysed. Results. The logic of attended sentences had a significant effect on the amplitude of the N400 component: illogical sentences elicited a larger N400 than logical sentences. The logic of unattended sentences, on the other hand, had no significant effect on the amplitude of the N400 component. Conclusions. The results suggest that the meaning of unattended sentences was not automatically processed in the same way as the meaning of attended sentences. This suggests that semantic processing of sentences is not a completely automatic process that is independent of attention.