ABSTRACT

The study of word-to-text integration (WTI) provides a window on incremental processes that link the meaning of a word to the preceding text. We review a research program using event-related potential indicators of WTI at sentence beginnings, thus localizing sources of integration to prior text meaning independently of the current sentence. The results led to the following conclusions. First, integration occurs when the word being read cues the retrieval of a text meaning from memory. Second, when the word does not cue retrieval, new structure building rather than integration is the default at sentence beginnings. Third, integration depends on a highly accessible text memory. The immediate preceding sentence provides the primary source for integration; however, instructions that encourage attention to thematic elements enable influences of global text meaning. Finally, contrary to the role that prediction may play in comprehension generally, prediction has a limited role in WTI at sentence beginnings.

摘要

单词到文本集成（WTI）的研究提供了一个增量过程的窗口，该过程将单词的含义链接到先前的文本。我们在句子开始时使用WTI的事件相关潜在指标来审查一项研究程序，从而将集成源独立于当前句子而定位到先前文本的含义。结果得出以下结论。首先，当所读取的单词提示从内存中检索文本含义时，就会发生整合。其次，当单词不提示检索时，句子开头的默认结构是新结构而不是整合。第三，集成取决于高度可访问的文本存储器。前一句提供了整合的主要来源；然而，鼓励注意主题元素的说明可以影响全局文本含义。最后，与预测通常在理解中所起的作用相反，预测在句子开始时在WTI中的作用有限。