Barca, L. , Castrataro, M. , Rinaldi, P. & Caselli, M. C.
Institute for Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, ISTC-CNR, Rome, Italy
A number of studies indicate that covert word recognition is mediated by phonological activation. We investigated visual word recognition in hearing and deaf readers to test for an effect of auditory deprivation in processing written language. Deaf readers have more difficulties in forming phonological representations of words and letters, which might affect the functioning of brain areas typically associated with phonological processing and their interaction with other brain regions. In this behavioral study, a lexical decision task comparing response to Italian 5 letters words and consonant strings was performed by tree groups of adults: Hearing participants; Deaf Signers with Italian Sign Language as primary language; Deaf Non-Signer, which use spoken language and lip reading for communicate. Overall, Deaf readers were faster than Hearing participants in performing the task. Deaf Signers were slower than Deaf Non-Singers in processing consonant strings, whereas no difference emerged for words. Significant Lexicality by Group interaction indicates that the Lexicality effect was restricted to Deaf Signer, which responded faster to words than consonant strings. Results will be discussed within classical models of visual word recognition and taking into account effects of early training intervention on deaf participants’ written language processes.