The time course of the multidimensional information representation of Chinese characters

Word reading involves the processing of visual, orthographic, phonological, and semantic information. However, it remains unclear how and when multi-dimensional information is represented in the brain, and the effects of processing demand during reading. To address these questions, the present study used EEG representational similarity analysis (RSA) to explore the time course of multidimensional information representation of Chinese characters and the modulating roles of processing demand. Results showed a hierarchical but dynamically interactive processing mechanism from visual or orthographic information to semantic information in Chinese reading. More interestingly, results showed that Chinese reading greatly relied on the orthographic and semantic processing, but showed relatively weak reliance on phonological processing. Additionally, the explicit task elicited stronger orthographic and semantic representations than implicit task in anterior regions. These results clarified the neural mechanisms of Chinese reading and the modulatory roles of processing demand.