Influence of homophone processing during auditory language comprehension on executive control processes: A dual-task paradigm.

In the present preregistered study, we evaluated the possibility of a shared cognitive mechanism during verbal and non-verbal tasks and therefore the implication of domain-general cognitive control during language comprehension. We hypothesized that a behavioral cost will be observed during a dual-t...

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Main Authors: Samuel El Bouzaïdi Tiali, Elsa Spinelli, Fanny Meunier, Richard Palluel-Germain, Marcela Perrone-Bertolotti
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2021-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0254237
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author Samuel El Bouzaïdi Tiali
Elsa Spinelli
Fanny Meunier
Richard Palluel-Germain
Marcela Perrone-Bertolotti
author_facet Samuel El Bouzaïdi Tiali
Elsa Spinelli
Fanny Meunier
Richard Palluel-Germain
Marcela Perrone-Bertolotti
author_sort Samuel El Bouzaïdi Tiali
collection DOAJ
description In the present preregistered study, we evaluated the possibility of a shared cognitive mechanism during verbal and non-verbal tasks and therefore the implication of domain-general cognitive control during language comprehension. We hypothesized that a behavioral cost will be observed during a dual-task including both verbal and non-verbal difficult processing. Specifically, to test this claim, we designed a dual-task paradigm involving: an auditory language comprehension task (sentence comprehension) and a non-verbal Flanker task (including congruent and incongruent trials). We manipulated sentence ambiguity and evaluated if the ambiguity effect modified behavioral performances in the non-verbal Flanker task. Under the assumption that ambiguous sentences induce a more difficult process than unambiguous sentences, we expected non-verbal flanker task performances to be impaired only when a simultaneous difficult language processing is performed. This would be specifically reflected by a performance cost during incongruent Flanker items only during ambiguous sentence presentation. Conversely, we observed a facilitatory effect for the incongruent Flanker items during ambiguous sentence suggesting better non-verbal inhibitory performances when an ambiguous sentence was simultaneously processed. Exploratory data analysis suggests that this effect is not only related to a more difficult language processing but also to the previous (n-1) Flanker item. Indeed, results showed that incongruent n-1 Flanker items led to a facilitation of the incongruent synchronized Flanker items only when ambiguous sentences were conjointly presented. This result, even if it needs to be corroborated in future studies, suggests that the recruitment of executive control mechanisms facilitates subsequent executive control implication during difficult language processing. The present study suggests a common executive control mechanism during difficult verbal and non-verbal tasks.
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spelling doaj.art-684cf0fbe83b4e59af4aeea2d00b532d2022-12-21T20:31:11ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032021-01-01167e025423710.1371/journal.pone.0254237Influence of homophone processing during auditory language comprehension on executive control processes: A dual-task paradigm.Samuel El Bouzaïdi TialiElsa SpinelliFanny MeunierRichard Palluel-GermainMarcela Perrone-BertolottiIn the present preregistered study, we evaluated the possibility of a shared cognitive mechanism during verbal and non-verbal tasks and therefore the implication of domain-general cognitive control during language comprehension. We hypothesized that a behavioral cost will be observed during a dual-task including both verbal and non-verbal difficult processing. Specifically, to test this claim, we designed a dual-task paradigm involving: an auditory language comprehension task (sentence comprehension) and a non-verbal Flanker task (including congruent and incongruent trials). We manipulated sentence ambiguity and evaluated if the ambiguity effect modified behavioral performances in the non-verbal Flanker task. Under the assumption that ambiguous sentences induce a more difficult process than unambiguous sentences, we expected non-verbal flanker task performances to be impaired only when a simultaneous difficult language processing is performed. This would be specifically reflected by a performance cost during incongruent Flanker items only during ambiguous sentence presentation. Conversely, we observed a facilitatory effect for the incongruent Flanker items during ambiguous sentence suggesting better non-verbal inhibitory performances when an ambiguous sentence was simultaneously processed. Exploratory data analysis suggests that this effect is not only related to a more difficult language processing but also to the previous (n-1) Flanker item. Indeed, results showed that incongruent n-1 Flanker items led to a facilitation of the incongruent synchronized Flanker items only when ambiguous sentences were conjointly presented. This result, even if it needs to be corroborated in future studies, suggests that the recruitment of executive control mechanisms facilitates subsequent executive control implication during difficult language processing. The present study suggests a common executive control mechanism during difficult verbal and non-verbal tasks.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0254237
spellingShingle Samuel El Bouzaïdi Tiali
Elsa Spinelli
Fanny Meunier
Richard Palluel-Germain
Marcela Perrone-Bertolotti
Influence of homophone processing during auditory language comprehension on executive control processes: A dual-task paradigm.
PLoS ONE
title Influence of homophone processing during auditory language comprehension on executive control processes: A dual-task paradigm.
title_full Influence of homophone processing during auditory language comprehension on executive control processes: A dual-task paradigm.
title_fullStr Influence of homophone processing during auditory language comprehension on executive control processes: A dual-task paradigm.
title_full_unstemmed Influence of homophone processing during auditory language comprehension on executive control processes: A dual-task paradigm.
title_short Influence of homophone processing during auditory language comprehension on executive control processes: A dual-task paradigm.
title_sort influence of homophone processing during auditory language comprehension on executive control processes a dual task paradigm
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0254237
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