Comparing the temporal dynamics of thematic and taxonomic processing using event-related potentials

Olivera Savic; Andrej M Savic; Vanja Kovic

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0189362

Comparing the temporal dynamics of thematic and taxonomic processing using event-related potentials

PLoS One. 2017 Dec 13;12(12):e0189362. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0189362. eCollection 2017.

Authors

Olivera Savic¹, Andrej M Savic², Vanja Kovic¹

Affiliations

¹ Laboratory for Neurocognition and Applied Cognition, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
² School of Electrical Engineering, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.

Abstract

We report the results of a study comparing the temporal dynamics of thematic and taxonomic knowledge activation in a picture-word priming paradigm using event-related potentials. Although we found no behavioral differences between thematic and taxonomic processing, ERP data revealed distinct patterns of N400 and P600 amplitude modulation for thematic and taxonomic priming. Thematically related target stimuli elicited less negativity than taxonomic targets between 280-460 ms after stimulus onset, suggesting easier semantic processing of thematic than taxonomic relationships. Moreover, P600 mean amplitude was significantly increased for taxonomic targets between 520-600 ms, consistent with a greater need for stimulus reevaluation in that condition. These results offer novel evidence in favor of a dissociation between thematic and taxonomic thinking in the early phases of conceptual evaluation.

Publication types

Comparative Study

MeSH terms

Adult
Evoked Potentials*
Female
Humans
Male
Task Performance and Analysis
Young Adult

Grants and funding

We are grateful to the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia (http://www.mpn.gov.rs/) for financial support through grant number 179033 (OS, VK) and grant number 175016 (AS). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.