Garden-path sentences and executive functions in normal aging
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.36505/ExLing-2019/10/0023/000385Keywords:
comprehension, syntax, aging, executive functions, garden-path effectAbstract
This paper investigates how the elderly process temporarily ambiguous sentences and how syntactic processing difficulties can be related to the decline of executive functions, such as working memory and inhibitory control. The study consisted of the application of a psycholinguistic experiment and neuropsychological evaluation tests. The participants were 20 older adults and 20 younger adults, who had to resolve the ambiguity in garden-path sentences, such as “While the man hunted the deer ran into the woods” (Christianson et al. 2006). The results are congruent with the hypothesis that a decreased inhibition can make it more difficult for the elderly to implement syntactic reanalysis in conditions that favour good-enough processing.
References
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Articles are published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are properly credited.
