Retrieval Interference in Syntactic Processing: The Case of Reflexive Binding in English

Area of Science:

• Psycholinguistics
• Computational Linguistics
• Cognitive Science

Background:

• Sentence comprehension models propose reflexive pronoun resolution relies solely on syntactic constraints (Principle A).
• Alternative theories suggest non-structural cues, like gender, also guide antecedent retrieval.
• Cue-based retrieval theories predict slower processing and errors with partial matches when non-structural cues are used.

Purpose of the Study:

• To model reflexive binding using cue-based retrieval, incorporating both structural and non-structural cues.
• To re-evaluate previous empirical findings that seemingly lacked evidence for non-structural cue use.
• To empirically test predictions of the cue-based retrieval model using eye-tracking.

Main Methods:

• Computational modeling of reflexive binding within the Lewis and Vasishth (2005) framework.
• Critical analysis of existing empirical studies on reflexive resolution.
• An eye-tracking experiment designed to differentiate syntactic-only from cue-based retrieval models.

Main Results:

• The computational model naturally incorporates retrieval processes using both structural and non-structural cues.
• Re-analysis suggests previous null findings might be Type II errors.
• Eye-tracking data confirmed predictions of the cue-based retrieval model, showing evidence for non-structural cue use.

Conclusions:

• Human sentence comprehension for reflexive pronouns utilizes both syntactic and non-structural cues (e.g., gender).
• The strictly syntactic search account is insufficient to explain reflexive resolution.
• Findings support cue-based retrieval theories and challenge notions of parser infallibility in reflexive binding.