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Early memory retention of novel words predicts better later lexical integration: Evidence from regression-based ERP analyses of single-trial N400

Poster Session B - Sunday, March 30, 2025, 8:00 – 10:00 am EDT, Back Bay Ballroom/Republic Ballroom

LIN ZHOU¹ (zoe.zhoul@gmail.com), Charles Perfetti²; ¹Department of psychology, University of Pittsburgh, ²Learning research and development center, University of Pittsburgh, ³Center for the neural basis of cognition, University of Pittsburgh

In word learning research, memory retention of newly learned words and their integration into semantic memory (i.e., lexical integration) are often treated as distinct processes. We present an ERP study that demonstrates a causal relationship between these processes. Native English speakers learned novel written words (e.g., banara, "a dog that eats only fruits and vegetables") over an 8-day period. Memory retention was assessed using a stem completion task on Days 1, 2, 5, and 8, where participants were asked to recall the spelling of a novel word by completing it with the first two letters (e.g., ba). Lexical integration was assessed on Days 2 and 8 using a semantic priming task, with both behavioral responses and ERPs recorded. In this task, a newly learned word (e.g., banara) was preceded by either a semantically related word (e.g., cat) or an unrelated word (e.g., cup). Regression-based ERP analyses were conducted on single-trial data to examine how the N400 response to banara was influenced by the preceding word (related vs. unrelated) and the recall accuracy of banara on earlier test days. Results from 36 participants revealed that the semantic priming effect on the N400 to banara emerged on Day 8, but was observed only for words that were correctly recalled on Day 2, not for those that were recalled incorrectly. These findings demonstrate that better memory of newly learned words on early test days leads to better lexical integration later, reflecting the "rich get richer" phenomenon in word learning.

Topic Area: LONG-TERM MEMORY: Development & aging