The neural response to highly iconic signs in hearing learners and deaf signers.

ABSTRACT: Previous ERP studies have demonstrated that hearing learners of American Sign Language (ASL) show sensitivity to sign iconicity (a resemblance between form and meaning) prior to learning any signs. Highly iconic (transparent) signs elicited greater negativity in the N400 window than non-iconic signs when participants performed a task that did not require semantic processing (detect an occasional grooming gesture). Greater negativity was interpreted as evidence that participants implicitly recognized the meaning of the iconic signs. Here we investigated how this neural response changes after learning. For comparison, we included a group of fluent deaf signers who performed the same task. Results revealed that the N400 to iconic signs became less negative after learning, indicating that thes

SUBMITTER: Akers EM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12831478 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature