Abstract: Event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded to investigate the relationship between deep/shallow processing and memory encoding. Three major results were: (1) Under both processings of Chinese materials, the subsequent memory effects (Dm) were obtained. A late positive ERP elicited by words later recognized was larger than that elicited by words later forgotten. (2) The Dm effect was different between the two processings. The Dm effect for deep processing began at the front branch of N2 wave (230—280 ms), and more obvious held behind N2 from 395ms to 800ms. The Dm effect for shallow processing was obtained only from 345ms to 490ms. In addition, the Dm for deep processing was observed over frontal and fronto-central areas of scalps but over parietal and occipital areas for the shallow processing. Such results support the possibility that deep and shallow processing Dm effect may diverge. (3) The Dm effect was different from ERP differences between two processings. Such results support the speciality of Dm effect in memory encoding

Key words: Event-related potentials, Subsequent memory effects, Memory encoding