Abstract
The initial perceptual processing of native and foreign language characters was studied in ten Japanese, eight Chinese, and eight Korean subjects using ERPs to Chinese (Kanji) characters and Hangul. The stimuli were presented in AAAAABAA form (habituation paradigm), and the repetition stimulus A and test stimulus B were graphically similar, dissimilar, or identical. The ERP results showed that the P2 amplitude, which reduced to the repeated stimuli, recovered to test stimuli of the native language characters irrespective of similarity. There was no amplitude difference between similar and dissimilar test stimuli. For the foreign language characters, the degree of the P2 recovery was larger for dissimilar than similar and identical test stimuli. These findings indicated a mechanism that quickly detects even slight changes of visual patterns when they are well-learned native language characters, thereby orienting attention for further processing. The difference of detection rapidity was discussed in terms of holistic versus part-based perception.
