Syntactic Adaptation to Relative Clause Sentence Processing: Contributions of Experience and Memory
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2017
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Swarthmore College. Dept. of Educational Studies
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en
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Abstract
One of the most robust findings in psycho linguistics is that object-extracted relative
clauses (ORCs) are more difficult to process than subject-extracted relative clauses (SRCs)
(Traxler, Morris, & Seely, 2002; King & Just, 1991; Ford, 1983). However, the reasons for this
are still controversial. One view attributes this difficulty to experience: ORCs are harder to
process because they are more rarely encountered than SRCs (Wells, Christiansen, Race,
Acheson, & MacDonald, 2008; Gennari & MacDonald, 2008; MacDonald & Christiansen,
2002). Another view is that the word order of ORCs places a larger burden on working memory
than SRCs (Miller & Chomsky, 1963; Grodner & Gibson, 2005; Lewis & Vasishth, 2005). These
models predict different loci of processing difficulty along an ORC sentence. Experience-based
models predict difficulty at the beginning of the ORC, where the structure can be identified as
rare. Memory-based models predict difficulty at the embedded verb, where a long distance
dependency must be resolved. There is evidence indicating difficulty in both regions (Staub,
2010). Wells et aI., (2009) conducted a relative clause training study, which found that intensive
experience with ORCs reduced (but did not eliminate) processing differences. However, the
study did not pinpoint the locus of these training effects. The present study aimed to replicate
Wells et aI., (2009), focusing on the locus of any training effects. On a memory-based account,
training should have selectively facilitated processing exclusively at the subject region of the
ORC. If instead ORC complexity is primarily a function of experience, then training should have
facilitated processing over the entire ORC. Training only facilitated processing over the subject
of the ORC. In contrast, difficulty at the embedded verb actually increased with training. Though
methodological issues discourage definitive conclusions, the results suggest that the role of
experience is limited and intrinsic memory constraints underlie ORC complexity.
Keywords: Sentence processing, relative clauses, statistical learning, working memory, syntax