Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 19, 2026

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) of Wernicke's and Broca's Areas in Studies of Language Learning and Word Acquisition
Published on: July 13, 2019
Word discrimination in the presence of competing speech with children
Abstract:
This study was conducted to examine the auditory masking effects of classes of linguistic strings varying in syntactic and semantic constraints upon word discrimination abilities of children. Twelve fourth grade (age 9), normal hearing, native speakers of English served as subjects. Three half-lists of the Central Institute for the Deaf W-22 word lists were presented consecutively with one of three competing linguistic messages. Discrimination scores served as measures. A treatment-by-subject analysis of variance and t-tests for independent samples were used in the analysis of the data. No significant differences in word discrimination as a function of linguistic masker were found. Comparisons between the data obtained with the children of the present study and that of adult subjects of a similar investigation (Percept. Mot. Skills 41, 578-593, 1975) indicated no significant difference in mean discrimination scores under the grammatical and semantically anomalous conditions; however, significance was found for the ungrammatical masker. Selective listening and language processing were used in the discussion of the findings
Related Concept Videos
Higher Mental Functions of the Brain: Language
Language formation and comprehension take place in the dominant hemisphere. The dominant hemisphere is responsible for understanding the meaning of spoken, written, or sign language, as well as the ability to communicate. For most people, the left hemisphere is the dominant one. The right hemisphere, then, gives tone and emotional context to the...
Components of Language
Language Development
The critical period for language acquisition suggests that the ability to acquire language is at its peak early in life. As people age, this proficiency decreases. Language development begins very...
Language and Cognition
Learning Disabilities
Dyslexia
Dyslexia is a...
Social Foundations of Self II: The Generalized Other

