Cross-codal bridging information processing by L1 Chinese speakers: An ERP study
Chenyi Zhang, Ianthi Maria Tsimpli · Brain and Language · 2026
This study adopted a viewing time paradigm to investigate how Chinese L1 readers process codality switch in reading comprehension. Thirty-one participants read 160 four-segment pictorial or textual stories where the second segment containing the bridging information is manipulated to achieve four conditions, namely, 1) picture-unswitched (stories comprising four pictures), 2) picture-switched (pictorial stories where the second panel is described in a sentence), 3) text-unswitched (stories comprising four sentences), and 4) text-switched (textual stories where the second sentence is depicted in a picture). Linear mixed effect models on the viewing times demonstrated that codality switch did not cause difficulties in reading comprehension. However, \GLS{ERP} data revealed disparities across the conditions. Specifically, mixed-effect ANOVAs demonstrated higher P300 amplitudes elicited by the text-switched stories, indexing the semantic processing of the pictures. Conversely, the picture-switched condition required deeper semantic processing, as evidenced by larger N400 effects. Significant effects of visuospatial working memory capacity were also revealed.