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Using Eye Movements Recorded in the Visual World Paradigm to Explore the Online Processing of Spoken Language
Published on: October 13, 2018
Using the Visual World Paradigm to Study Retrieval Interference in Spoken Language Comprehension.
Irina A Sekerina1, Luca Campanelli2, Julie A Van Dyke3
1Department of Psychology, College of Staten Island, City University of New YorkStaten Island, NY, USA; Linguistics Program, The Graduate Center, City University of New YorkNY, USA; Neurolinguistics Laboratory, National Research University Higher School of EconomicsMoscow, Russia.
Retrieval interference occurs in spoken language comprehension when visual distractors are present. The Visual World Paradigm (VWP) effectively measures these spoken language processing effects.
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Area of Science:
- Psycholinguistics
- Cognitive Science
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Cue-based retrieval theory predicts interference from distractors during language processing.
- Previous research on retrieval interference primarily used written language modalities.
- The Visual World Paradigm (VWP) has not been extensively used to study spoken language retrieval interference.
Purpose of the Study:
- To adapt the VWP for studying retrieval interference in spoken language comprehension.
- To investigate retrieval interference effects caused by visual distractors during auditory sentence processing.
- To extend findings on distractors and retrieval cues from written to spoken modalities.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the Visual World Paradigm (VWP) to monitor eye movements during spoken language comprehension.
- Introduced visual distractors into the experimental setup to simulate interference.
- Manipulated the relationship between distractors and verbal retrieval cues in spoken sentences.
Main Results:
- Retrieval interference effects were observed in the spoken modality, appearing immediately in inaccurate trials with visual distractors.
- Evidence of cognitive repair processes was detected in trials with semantic distractors that were ultimately resolved correctly.
- The VWP demonstrated sensitivity to online interference effects and subsequent repair mechanisms.
Conclusions:
- The Visual World Paradigm (VWP) is a viable method for studying retrieval interference in spoken language.
- This research validates the presence of retrieval interference in the spoken modality, extending prior written-modality findings.
- The findings have implications for understanding language processing in diverse populations, including children and individuals with aphasia.