Laterality and processing of idiomatic speech in a normal population
Date
1992
Authors
Slick, Daniel Joseph
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Abstract
Two experiments were conducted to examine lateralized processing of idiomatic and literal meanings of text. Priming with idiomatic phrases was followed by speeded semantic-decisions to laterally presented words. Three orthogonal categories of words were presented: (1.) figuratively -related words - semantically associated with the conventional idiomatic meaning of the priming phrases, (2.) literally-related words - semantically associated with a literal parse of the priming phrases, or (3.) unrelated words - no semantic association with the priming phrases. Subjects decided whether or not individual words reminded them of immediately preceding idiomatic phrases. Subjects in both experiments were able to reliably differentiate the word types, both during the semantic decision task and during a free-viewing post-test. Subjects could be divided into two "decisional criteria" groups by how they responded to literal targets. No VF asymmetries were found for reaction-time. Characteristics of the experimental design employed render interpretations of the lack of VF effects problematic, but the results do not rule out a hypothesized RH substrate for processing idiomatic language.
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UN SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions