The development of semantic integration in bilingual toddlers measured by N400.

ABSTRACT: Semantic integration is a mechanism of lexical-semantic processing. When indexed by N400, it emerges coupled with the vocabulary spurt in the second year. To what extent maturation and language exposure contribute to its development remains unclear. Bilingual toddlers split their time between two languages. While experiencing similar concepts as monolinguals, bilinguals are less exposed to each language's words. This makes them a key group to disentangle the relative contribution of maturation and language exposure in the emergence of semantic integration. We investigate (1) whether bilinguals follow the same developmental trajectory of semantic integration as monolinguals, and (2) whether semantic integration differs between bilinguals' dominant and non-dominant languages across time. If l

SUBMITTER: Lozano I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12344258 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature