[TS-2.3] Does viotin activate violin more than viocin? On the use of visual cues during visual-word recognition

Perea, M. & Panadero, V.

ERI-Lectura, Universitat de València

The vast majority of neural and computational models assume that visual-word recognition in adult skilled readers is achieved via the activation of abstract letter identities. In the present lexical decision experiment, we compared word-like pseudowords like viotín (same outline shape as its base word: violín) vs. viocín (different outline shape) in mature (college-aged skilled readers), immature (young normally developing readers), and immature/impaired (young readers with developmental dyslexia) word-recognition systems. Consistent with current neural/computational models of visual-word recognition, results revealed similar response times (and error rates) to viotín-like pseudowords and viocín-like pseudowords for both adult skilled readers and young normal readers. In contrast, young readers with developmental dyslexia made significantly more errors to viotín-like pseudowords than to viocín-like pseudowords. Thus, unlike young normally developing readers, young readers with developmental dyslexia are sensitive to a word?s visual cues -presumably because of poor letter representations.