Establishing a time-line of word recognition: evidence from eye movements and event-related potentials

THE average duration of eye fixations in reading places constraints on the time for lexical processing. Data from event related potential (ERP) studies of word recognition can illuminate stages of processing within a single fixation on a word. In the present study, high and low frequency regular and exception words were used as targets in an eye movement reading experiment and a high-density electrode ERP lexical decision experiment. Effects of lexicality (words us pseudowords us consonant strings), word frequency (high us low frequency) and word regularity (regular us exception spelling-sound correspondence) were examined. Results suggest a very early time-course for these aspects of lexical processing within the context of a single eye fixation. Neuro Report 9: 2195-2200 (C) 1998 Rapid Science Ltd.