Bethanie Gouldthorp

Recent findings have revealed that the right hemisphere (RH) is uniquely involved in integrating perceptual information from linguistic input to simulate a mental model of that input. We extend on these findings by testing whether meaning is generated from such models. Participants (N = 37) heard auditory passages describing the visuospatial arrangement of elements into a perceptual representation of a familiar object, then judged whether a laterally-presented target word matched the object. We found a central N400-effect for left visual-field targets, suggesting that meaning was also accessible to the RH. There was no statistical difference for right visual-field targets. Principle component analysis of the data revealed that the N400-effect was driven by positive components. Consequently, the results suggest that i) RH contributions to language comprehension include integrative and perceptual processes that enable overall meaning to be generated from representations of discourse, and ii) positive ERP components may produce N400-effects.

To examine hemispheric differences in accessing a mental representation that embodies perceptual elements and their spatial relationships (i.e., perceptual elaboration and integration), we developed a cross-modal perceptual elaboration paradigm (PEP) in which an imagined percept, rather than a propositional concept, determined congruency. Three target image conditions allow researchers to test which mental representation is primarily accessed when the target is laterally presented. For example, the “Integrated” condition is congruent with either propositional or perceptual mental representations; therefore, results from both hemifield conditions (RVF/LH vs. LVF/RH) should be comparable. Similarly, the “Unrelated” condition is incongruent with either propositional or perceptual mental representations; therefore, results from both hemifield conditions should be comparable as well. However, the “Unintegrated” condition is congruent with the propositional mental representation but not the perceptual mental representation. Should either hemisphere access one representation initially, differences will be revealed in either behavioural or electroencephalography results. This paradigm: • is distinct from existing paired paradigms that emphasize semantic associations. • is important given increasing evidence that discourse comprehension involves accessing perceptual information. • allows researchers to examine the extent to which a mental representation of discourse can embody perceptual elaboration and integration.

The left hemisphere (LH) is responsible for many fundamental aspects of language; however, converging evidence suggests the right hemisphere (RH) is critically involved in higher-level language comprehension. We examined the extent of each hemispheres' access to a meaningful mental representation of language by recording electroencephalography while participants (N = 44) completed a computer-based task where auditory sentences described individual elements of an image. If integrated successfully, this allowed the construction of a meaningful mental representation. If unsuccessful, the individual elements were in themselves meaningless. Participants saw a lateralised image that was either an integrated representation of the object described in the previous auditory passage (“integrated”), an unintegrated representation of each of the individual elements (“unintegrated”), or an integrated representation of an object that did not match the previous passage (“unrelated”). Evidenced by the trend in N300 amplitudes, we found that both hemispheres accessed a mental representation that embodied the elements described in the preceding passage. However, only the RH distinguished integrated versus unintegrated targets, suggesting that the RH accessed a mental representation that embodied the correct spatial relationships between elements (i.e., perceptual integration) as well as the individual imagined elements (i.e., perceptual elaboration). These results provide evidence of a clear RH contribution to the integration of perceptual information during language comprehension.

Objectives Adverse life events are associated with increased likelihood of depression and poorer prognosis. Trauma‐focused treatments (TFT) appear to be effective in decreasing comorbid depressive symptoms. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a TFT on the memories of aversive events for individuals with a primary diagnosis of depression. Methods A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 49 participants recruited from a 10‐day outpatient group programme. All participants showed symptoms of depression with a subgroup (80%) meeting the DSM‐5 criteria for a major depressive episode. Participants received treatment as usual (TAU); three additional individual trauma‐focused sessions; or three additional individual assertiveness training sessions. Participants were assessed with regards to depression diagnosis and related symptoms. Results For participants with a major depressive episode, the addition of trauma‐focused sessions significantly increased the likelihood of remission when compared to TAU, or additional assertiveness training. While no significant treatment difference was noted in depressive symptom change post‐treatment, six weeks after treatment those who received an adjunct treatment were more likely to maintain treatment gains than those who received TAU. Furthermore, at 12‐week follow‐up, participants who received a TFT reported significantly fewer depressive symptoms than those who received assertiveness training. Conclusions While differences in outcomes were minimal immediately post‐treatment, differences among treatment groups increased over time. Thus, as few as three additional TFT sessions may impact positively on symptom change for people completing a group programme for the treatment of depression.

To date, little is known about the high-level language skills and cognitive processes underlying reading comprehension in children. The present study aimed to investigate whether children with high, compared with low, reading comprehension differ in their sequencing skill, which was defined as the ability to identify and recall the temporal order of events in narratives. A novel age-appropriate reading and recall measure was developed to assess sequencing in typically developing primary school students. Sixty-four students between the ages of 8 and 11 years read short narratives containing either a forward or backward temporal shift and then placed a set of cards depicting the scenario in either picture or text format in the correct chronological order that the events occurred. Participants also completed measures of verbal and visuospatial working memory to investigate potential relations between working memory and sequencing ability. High comprehenders were found to produce more accurate sequences than low comprehenders in all conditions of the sequencing task, suggesting that sequencing ability may be important for facilitating comprehension. Additionally, participants produced more accurate sequences in the forward condition than the backward condition, indicating that sequencing is facilitated by chronological presentation of events in text. Measures of working memory were unrelated to sequencing ability or comprehension. The results of this study provide preliminary evidence that sequencing is an important skill for children's comprehension of narrative texts and have implications for reading education and intervention programs.

This study investigated the proposition that the right hemisphere (RH) processes language in a global, integrative manner that maintains access to earlier contextual information, whereas the left hemisphere (LH) processes in a local fashion and only keeps active the most recent concept. Thirty-four right-handed participants completed a lexical decision task using a split visual-field paradigm, with reaction time and error rates recorded. Three sentences were presented, where an inference was required in order to produce coherence between the first and second sentences. The third sentence was not directly related to the inference generation, but was consistent with the scenario set out in the prior context. Targets were either “Global”, where the target reflected the meaning of the inference generated in order for coherence to have been created; or “Local”, where the target reflected the meaning of only the third sentence and therefore did not require integration of previous context. Significantly greater facilitation was observed for the RH/left visual field than LH/right visual field for “Global” targets, while no hemispheric differences were observed for “Local” targets. This study provides evidence for the distillation of current models of hemispheric language comprehension into underlying local and global processes.

Some evidence has emerged in recent years that plagiarism can be reduced through the use of online mastery tests that are designed to train introductory psychology students in awareness of academic integrity and referencing conventions. Although these studies demonstrated a reduction in incidents of plagiarism they did not directly examine whether the use of mastery tests influenced students' attitudes toward or understanding of plagiarism. Consequently, the authors examined students' awareness of plagiarism and their perception of the seriousness of plagiarism before and after completing an online academic-integrity mastery module in a psychology course. Both students' awareness of plagiarism and their perception of the seriousness of plagiarism increased significantly from before to after completing the online academic-integrity training. Additionally, first-year students who completed the mastery modules showed better awareness of plagiarism and perceived plagiarism to be more serious as compared with a group of second-year students who had not completed the mastery modules in their first year. These results suggest that the use of academic-integrity mastery tests may improve students' awareness of, and attitudes toward, plagiarism.