Neural tuning for visual words is essential for fluent reading across various scripts. This study investigated the emergence and development of N170 tuning for Chinese characters and its cognitive–linguistic correlates. Electroencephalogram data from 48 adult L2 learners and 23 native Chinese readers were collected using a color detection task. The N170 for real characters, pseudo-characters, false characters, stroke combinations and line drawings were recorded. We found beginner adult L2 learners showed larger N170 Chinese characters compared to stroke combinations (coarse neural tuning). The intermediate-level L2 Chinese learners demonstrated fine-tuning for Chinese orthographic regularities. Importantly, a clear shift from bilateral to left-lateralized coarse and fine-tuning for print was observed from beginner to intermediate L2 learners as their Chinese reading experience increased. Moreover, individual differences in neural print tuning moderately correlated with word-reading fluency, Chinese vocabulary knowledge and morphological awareness.

中文翻译：

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成人汉语二语学习者对汉字的神经调节：来自 ERP 研究的证据


对视觉单词的神经调节对于流畅阅读各种文字至关重要。本研究调查了 N170 汉字调音的出现和发展及其认知语言相关性。使用颜色检测任务收集了 48 名成人第二语言学习者和 23 名中文母语读者的脑电图数据。记录了真字、伪字、假字、笔画组合和线条画的N170。我们发现，与笔画组合相比，初级成人 L2 学习者表现出更大的 N170 汉字（粗略神经调整）。中级汉语学习者展示了对汉语拼写规律的微调。重要的是，随着汉语阅读经验的增加，从初级到中级二语学习者观察到印刷体的粗调和微调从双侧向左侧的明显转变。此外，神经印刷调整的个体差异与单词阅读流畅性、汉语词汇知识和词法意识有一定的相关性。