Associative priming from lateralized stimuli

Semantic priming with prime-target pairs related exclusively by association was investigated, using N400 event-related potential (ERP) measures in a visual half-field paradigm. Gender was investigated as a variable potentially impacting hemispheric differences in priming patterns. Predictions included: significant priming with associated words, a left-hemisphere advantage for priming under these conditions, and gender-based differences in associate priming patterns. There were 3 studies: a study that explored factors of priming, visual field of stimulus presentation, scalp electrode recording site, and gender with this paradigm, as well as studies of males and females separately, to investigate gender-specific effects.; Word pairs, associatively (but not categorically) related, and unrelated, were presented to either right (RVF) or left visual field (LVF). Each followed by a “?” cue to response readiness on each trial, followed by a “probe” word, in the same visual field, about which subjects made judgments (related/unrelated to either prime or target word(s)). Equal numbers of each type of trial were presented, with order of stimulus interrelationships and visual field of presentation randomized across the protocol. Stimuli were of 185 msec. duration, with stimulus onset asynchrony of 250 msec. The above design features were used to maximize processing of stimuli for meaning while minimizing potential for a large P3 component to influence N400, and to control for the possibility of post-lexical processing effects.; Results indicated significant associate priming; left hemisphere-lateralized priming in males, while females showed bilateral priming effects; with differences between gender groups in recording sites reflecting maximum priming. Implications of these results are discussed, in terms of. (1) contrast between these results and those of Chiarello, et al. (1990); and (2) their support of a model of semantic memory proposed by Deacon (2000) suggesting that language is locally represented in left hemisphere and in a distributed manner in right hemisphere. Findings are discussed in the context of that model and various constructs related to semantic memory. Gender differences are discussed with regard to possible mechanisms by which they arose with this paradigm, as well as their implications.