Hemispheric asymmetry in the processing of Japanese script

Abstract

The Japanese written language comprises both a logographic (kanji) and a phonetic (kana) script. Patterns of hemispheric asymmetry in the encoding of these scripts have been found to differ. The present study examined the way in which hemispheric differences at the level of orthographic encoding impact at the level of lexical access. A total of 32 participants performed a lexical decision task within an associative priming paradigm across both scripts. The results showed a right visual field advantage for the processing of kana, but no lateralised advantage for kanji stimuli. Patterns of facilitation also differed, with kanji stimuli eliciting a late-developing and eventually stronger priming effect in the left visual field. The results are discussed with reference to the recognition-with-phonology model in the processing of logographic script.