Phonology-to-Orthography Consistency Effect in Chinese Character Writing
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1
Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Department of Chinese and Bilingual Studies, Hong Kong, SAR China
Background
According to the dual route account of writing (Ellis & Young, 1994), words can be written using either the lexical route, based on direct lexical item retrieval, or a sub-lexical route, based on phonology-to-orthography (P-O) conversion. Since the two routes operate together, word writing process should be affected by both lexical factors, such as word frequency, and sub-lexical factors, such as P-O consistency. Previous studies have reported longer response time in writing words with lower P-O consistencies using writing-to-dictation tasks (e.g. Peereman, Content, & Bonin, 1998). Ma & Lau (2016) suggested that the P-O consistency in Chinese can be measured in two ways. Measure1 refers to the count of number of homophonic heterographic characters associated with a syllable and Measure2 refers to the count of number of phonetic radicals associated with the syllable. The current study examined the P-O consistency effect in writing Chinese characters reflected in these two measures.
Method
A total of 20 participants (gender balanced, average age = 54years) were recruited. A writing-to-dictation task was administered using a total of 60 Chinese characters selected in a 2 (Frequency) X 3 (P-O consistency) construct. P-O consistency of stimuli were categorised into three levels: characters with no homophones (i.e. consistent in Measure1 and Measure2), characters with homophones that are associated with more than three phonetic radicals (i.e. inconsistent in both Measure1 and Measure2), and characters with at least two homophones, all sharing the same phonetic radicals (i.e. inconsistent in Measure1 but consistent in Measure2). Accuracy and latency data, measured as the duration between the onset of the target word in each verbal stimuli and the onset of the first stroke written by each participant, were obtained.
Results
Accuracy data. Results of ANOVA analysis of the accuracy data revealed significant frequency effect, P-O consistency effect, and interaction effect. Post-hoc analysis showed that accuracy of writing high frequency characters is not affected by P-O consistency. However, when writing low frequency characters, accuracy of items with no homophones is lower than items in the other two categories.
Latency data. RT of inaccurate responses were excluded from the data analyses. Since there remained only a few items in the low frequency condition, an ANCOVA analysis of the latency data using frequency counts as covariates was conducted. Results showed that P-O consistency effect is significant after controlled for frequency. Post-hoc analysis showed that RT to characters with homophones associated with lots of phonetic radicals is significantly longer than the other two categories.
Discussion
Overall, the significant frequency effect reflected the heavy reliance of the lexical route in writing Chinese characters. The use of the sub-lexical route, reflected in the significant P-O consistency effect, is observed in writing low frequency characters. Finally, the different manifestations of the two measures of P-O consistency in accuracy and latency analyses suggested that there exists interactions between the lexical and sublexical processing in writing Chinese characters. Theoretical and clinical implications will be discussed.
References
Ellis, A. W., & Young, A. W. (2013). Human cognitive neuropsychology: A textbook with readings. Psychology Press.
Ma, K.H.-W., & D.K.-Y. Lau (2016). Phonology-to-Orthography consistency at sublexical level in Chinese writing. Frontiers in Psychology Conference Abstract: 54th Annual Academy of Aphasia Meeting. doi: 10.3389/conf.fpsyg.2016.68.00044
Peereman, R., Content, A., & Bonin, P. (1998). Is perception a two-way street? The case of feedback consistency in visual word recognition. Journal of Memory and Language, 39, 151-174.
Keywords:
Chinese,
Chinese writing,
Lexical Processing,
consistency effect,
Phonology-to-orthography consistency
Conference:
Academy of Aphasia 55th Annual Meeting , Baltimore, United States, 5 Nov - 7 Nov, 2017.
Presentation Type:
poster presentation
Topic:
Consider for student award
Citation:
Lam
K and
Lau
D
(2019). Phonology-to-Orthography Consistency Effect in Chinese Character Writing.
Conference Abstract:
Academy of Aphasia 55th Annual Meeting .
doi: 10.3389/conf.fnhum.2017.223.00064
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Received:
21 Apr 2017;
Published Online:
25 Jan 2019.
*
Correspondence:
Dr. Dustin Kai-Yan Lau, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Department of Chinese and Bilingual Studies, Hong Kong SAR, Hong Kong, SAR China, dustin.lau@polyu.edu.hk