Masked priming effects in aphasia: evidence of altered automatic spreading activation.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

Previous research has suggested that impairments of automatic spreading activation may underlie some aphasic language deficits. The current study further investigated the status of automatic spreading activation in individuals with aphasia as compared with typical adults.

Method

Participants were 21 individuals with aphasia (12 fluent, 9 nonfluent) and 31 typical adults. Reaction time data were collected on a lexical decision task with masked repetition primes, assessed at 11 different interstimulus intervals (ISIs). Masked primes were used to assess automatic spreading activation without the confound of conscious processing. The various ISIs were used to assess the time to onset and duration of priming effects.

Results

The control group showed maximal priming

SUBMITTER: Silkes JP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4598179 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature