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Abstract: This thesis explores the neural changes underlying the earliest stages of second language (L2) vocabulary acquisition and the potential facilitatory effects of anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on L2 learning. In a weeklong event-related potential (ERP) paradigm, participants completed less than four hours of L2 vocabulary learning with or without anodal tDCS. Part 1 ... read morecaptures the neural changes due to L2 learning in participants who did not experience anodal tDCS. We focused on the N400 component, a measure of lexicosemantic processing, to measure the degree of L2 learning. Results indicate that beginning L2 learners show rapid neural changes following learning. Part 2 investigated learning mediated L2 N400 changes as a function of anodal tDCS. Despite previous behavioral findings showing facilitation of novel vocabulary acquisition due to anodal tDCS, our results indicate that anodal tDCS may actually inhibit L2 vocabulary acquisition in the form of smaller N400 language learning effects.
Thesis (M.S.)--Tufts University, 2015.
Submitted to the Dept. of Psychology.
Advisor: Phillip Holcomb.
Committee: Katherine Midgley, and Marianna Eddy.
Keywords: Cognitive psychology, Language, and Experimental psychology.read less
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