LINGUIST List 15.884

Mon Mar 15 2004

Diss: Neuroling: Reiterer: 'EEG-Coherence...'

Editor for this issue: Takako Matsui <takolinguistlist.org>

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  • Susanne.Reiterer, EEG-Coherence Analysis and Foreign Language Learning

    Message 1: EEG-Coherence Analysis and Foreign Language Learning

     Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2004 14:24:44 -0500 (EST)
    From: Susanne.Reiterer <Susanne.Reiterermed.uni-tuebingen.de>
    Subject: EEG-Coherence Analysis and Foreign Language Learning


    Institution: Vienna University Program: Department of Psychology, Neuropsychology Dissertation Status: Completed Degree Date: 2002

    Author: Susanne Maria Reiterer

    Dissertation Title: EEG-Coherence Analysis and Foreign Language Learning: Brain Activation Differences between high and low proficiency second language speakers

    Linguistic Field: Neurolinguistics

    Subject Language: English (code: ENG), German, Standard (code: GER)

    Dissertation Director 1: Peter Rappelsberger Dissertation Director 2: Annemarie Peltzer-Karpf Dissertation Director 3: Herbert Bauer

    Dissertation Abstract:

    To investigate the influence of proficiency level on the cortical organization of foreign language processing, two groups of German speaking students, differing only in their proficiency in English as a second language, were subjected to EEG coherence analysis during foreign and native language processing (news reports, frequency spectrum investigated: 1 - 32 Hz). In the group with minor experience with English, coherence increase was observed with all electrode combinations, with left hemisphere (LH) predominance. In the high proficiency group, coherence increase was limited to temporal electrodes over LH. Only in the latter group, coherence between prefrontal electrodes was significantly lower during the language tasks than during the baseline task (silence, noisy screen). Both results were obtained with foreign as well as native language processing. We suggest that reduced EEG coherence in language experts reflects a more efficient operating strategy not only for their second, but also for their native language.

    Key words language proficiency, second language, bilingualism, EEG-coherence, cortical efficiency, cortical networks