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ERIC Number: EJ890930
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2010-Aug
Pages: 22
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0749-596X
EISSN: N/A
Quantifiers More or Less Quantify On-Line: ERP Evidence for Partial Incremental Interpretation
Urbach, Thomas P.; Kutas, Marta
Journal of Memory and Language, v63 n2 p158-179 Aug 2010
Event-related brain potentials were recorded during RSVP reading to test the hypothesis that quantifier expressions are incrementally interpreted fully and immediately. In sentences tapping general knowledge ("Farmers grow crops/worms as their primary source of income"), Experiment 1 found larger N400s for atypical ("worms") than typical objects ("crops"). Experiment 2 crossed object typicality with non-logical subject noun phrase quantifiers ("most," "few"). Offline plausibility ratings exhibited the crossover interaction predicted by full quantifier interpretation: "Most farmers grow crops" and "Few farmers grow worms" were rated more plausible than "Most farmers grow worms" and "Few farmers grow crops." Object N400s, although modulated in the expected direction, did not reverse. Experiment 3 replicated these findings with adverbial quantifiers ("Farmers often/rarely grow crops/worms"). Interpretation of quantifier expressions thus is neither fully immediate nor fully delayed. Furthermore, object atypicality was associated with a frontal slow positivity in few-type/rarely quantifier contexts, suggesting systematic processing differences among quantifier types. (Contains 3 figures and 4 tables.)
Elsevier. 6277 Sea Harbor Drive, Orlando, FL 32887-4800. Tel: 877-839-7126; Tel: 407-345-4020; Fax: 407-363-1354; e-mail: usjcs@elsevier.com; Web site: http://www.elsevier.com
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A