The role of visual representations during the lexical access of spoken words

Gwyneth Lewis; David Poeppel

doi:10.1016/j.bandl.2014.03.008

The role of visual representations during the lexical access of spoken words

Gwyneth Lewis, David Poeppel

Psychology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Do visual representations contribute to spoken word recognition? We examine, using MEG, the effects of sublexical and lexical variables at superior temporal (ST) areas and the posterior middle temporal gyrus (pMTG) compared with that of word imageability at visual cortices. Embodied accounts predict early modulation of visual areas by imageability - concurrently with or prior to modulation of pMTG by lexical variables. Participants responded to speech stimuli varying continuously in imageability during lexical decision with simultaneous MEG recording. We employed the linguistic variables in a new type of correlational time course analysis to assess trial-by-trial activation in occipital, ST, and pMTG regions of interest (ROIs). The linguistic variables modulated the ROIs during different time windows. Critically, visual regions reflected an imageability effect prior to effects of lexicality on pMTG. This surprising effect supports a view on which sensory aspects of a lexical item are not a consequence of lexical activation.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	1-10
Number of pages	10
Journal	Brain and Language
Volume	134
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bandl.2014.03.008
State	Published - Jul 2014

Keywords

Imageability
Lexical access
MEG
PMTG
Speech recognition

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Language and Linguistics
Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
Linguistics and Language
Cognitive Neuroscience
Speech and Hearing

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10.1016/j.bandl.2014.03.008

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title = "The role of visual representations during the lexical access of spoken words",

abstract = "Do visual representations contribute to spoken word recognition? We examine, using MEG, the effects of sublexical and lexical variables at superior temporal (ST) areas and the posterior middle temporal gyrus (pMTG) compared with that of word imageability at visual cortices. Embodied accounts predict early modulation of visual areas by imageability - concurrently with or prior to modulation of pMTG by lexical variables. Participants responded to speech stimuli varying continuously in imageability during lexical decision with simultaneous MEG recording. We employed the linguistic variables in a new type of correlational time course analysis to assess trial-by-trial activation in occipital, ST, and pMTG regions of interest (ROIs). The linguistic variables modulated the ROIs during different time windows. Critically, visual regions reflected an imageability effect prior to effects of lexicality on pMTG. This surprising effect supports a view on which sensory aspects of a lexical item are not a consequence of lexical activation.",

keywords = "Imageability, Lexical access, MEG, PMTG, Speech recognition",

author = "Gwyneth Lewis and David Poeppel",

note = "Funding Information: This work is supported by the National Science Foundation Grant No. DGE-1342536 to GL and NIH 2R01DC05660 to DP. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation. The authors thank Liina Pylkk{\"a}nen for her advice during the design phase of the experiment and Alec Marantz for his considerable advice throughout the study. We also thank Tal Linzen for his help in computing the cohort entropy variable. ",

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PY - 2014/7

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N2 - Do visual representations contribute to spoken word recognition? We examine, using MEG, the effects of sublexical and lexical variables at superior temporal (ST) areas and the posterior middle temporal gyrus (pMTG) compared with that of word imageability at visual cortices. Embodied accounts predict early modulation of visual areas by imageability - concurrently with or prior to modulation of pMTG by lexical variables. Participants responded to speech stimuli varying continuously in imageability during lexical decision with simultaneous MEG recording. We employed the linguistic variables in a new type of correlational time course analysis to assess trial-by-trial activation in occipital, ST, and pMTG regions of interest (ROIs). The linguistic variables modulated the ROIs during different time windows. Critically, visual regions reflected an imageability effect prior to effects of lexicality on pMTG. This surprising effect supports a view on which sensory aspects of a lexical item are not a consequence of lexical activation.

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The role of visual representations during the lexical access of spoken words

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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