Visual complexity effect in Chinese incidental word learning: Evidence from number of strokes and word length

doi:10.3724/SP.J.1041.2024.01734

Abstract

Abstract:

This study investigates the variation patterns of visual complexity effects during the process of repeated learning of new words through two experiments. Utilizing a reading paradigm accompanied by vocabulary learning, two-character pseudowords were embedded in 15 contexts and presented to participants across five times intervals. In Experiment 1, the number of strokes of new words (high vs. low) was manipulated, while Experiment 2 manipulated word length (two-character vs. three-character words), recording college students' eye movements while reading sentences. Results showed that as the frequency of new word learning increased, the number of strokes effect did not exhibit significant changes, indicating that number of strokes, as a factor reflecting the visual complexity ofChinese characters, influences both early and late stages of vocabulary learning, consistent with the visual constraint hypothesis. In contrast, as new word learning frequency increased, the word length effect gradually diminished, demonstrating a “familiarity” effect of word length, which aligns with the joint visual and linguistic constraint hypothesis. These findings suggest that the mechanisms by which number of strokes and word length operate in Chinese reading during vocabulary acquisition differ: number of strokes functions as a form of low-level visual information affecting the visual layer of vocabulary processing, whereas word length resembles a higher-level linguistic processing mechanism impacting the higher tiers of vocabulary processing.

Key words: number of strokes, word length, incidental word learning, Chinese reading, eye movement

LIANG Feifei, LIU Ying, HE Fei, FENG Linlin, WANG Zheng, BAI Xuejun. (2024). Visual complexity effect in Chinese incidental word learning: Evidence from number of strokes and word length. Acta Psychologica Sinica, 56(12), 1734-1750.

Figures/Tables 16

References 55

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T item	Low stroke (印木)		High stroke (露提)
T item	first character	last character	first character	last character
Number of strokes	4.13(0.99)	4.13(0.64)	13.5(3.07)	12.88(1.13)
Character frequency	344.65(227.63)	270.30(142.99)	381.63(434.24)	209.67(142.42)
Character frequency (Log)	4.14(0.37)	4.04(0.25)	4.06(0.41)	3.92(0.26)
character positional probability (first character)	0.44(0.10)	0.49(0.24)	0.44(0.10)	0.49(0.24)

T item	Low stroke (印木)		High stroke (露提)
T item	first character	last character	first character	last character
Number of strokes	4.13(0.99)	4.13(0.64)	13.5(3.07)	12.88(1.13)
Character frequency	344.65(227.63)	270.30(142.99)	381.63(434.24)	209.67(142.42)
Character frequency (Log)	4.14(0.37)	4.04(0.25)	4.06(0.41)	3.92(0.26)
character positional probability (first character)	0.44(0.10)	0.49(0.24)	0.44(0.10)	0.49(0.24)

Learning phase	Sentence number	Sentence frame
	1	探险家说, 生活在南方的原始节夫喜欢从树上跳到湖里。 Explorers say that primitive 节夫 living in the south like to jump from trees into lakes.
1	2	他们发现, 喜欢捉鱼吃是这种节夫具有的一大特点。 They found that the monkey's penchant for catching fish to eat was one of the characteristics of the 节夫.
	3	因为这个特点, 可以训练节夫当人类的捕鱼助手。 Because of this feature, 节夫can be trained to be fishing assistants for humans.
	4	占了半张脸的一双大眼睛让节夫看起来特别可爱, 还很萌。 A pair of big eyes that occupy half of the face make the monkey look particularly cute and cute.
2	5	而且, 脖子可以转一圈也是节夫突出的特点。 Moreover, the ability to turn the neck in a circle is also a prominent feature of 节夫.
	6	这些外形上的特点使得节夫成为当地人的一种宠物。 These physical features make the 节夫a pet for the locals.
	7	说起食物喜好, 雨林里的野果并不是节夫最喜欢吃的。 When it comes to food preferences, wild fruits in the rainforest aren't the 节夫favorite food.
3	8	而当地人种的花生却总是被节夫偷吃光。 The peanuts grown by the locals are always eaten by the 节夫.
	9	据说, 还发生过节夫跳到农家里吃肉的事情。 It is said that there have been cases of 节夫jumping into farmhouses to eat meat.
	10	当地人认为节夫是一种可爱的吉祥物。 Locals consider the 节夫to be a cute mascot.
4	11	听说, 他们总喜欢把节夫当作宠物喂养。 It is said that they always like to feed 节夫as pets.
	12	一般, 那种家养节夫只有大人的手掌那么大。 Usually, the domestic 节夫is the size of an adult's palm.
	13	有冷风的时候, 为了保暖, 群居的年幼节夫经常挤在一起睡觉。 When there is a cold wind, young 节夫that live in groups often huddle together to sleep together to keep warm.
5	14	相互理毛也是野生节夫常见的行为动作。 Mutual grooming is also a common behavioural action in wild 节夫.
	15	不过, 这些群居节夫从来不分享食物, 也是有点怪。 However, it is also a bit strange that these social 节夫never share food.

Learning phase	Sentence number	Sentence frame
	1	探险家说, 生活在南方的原始节夫喜欢从树上跳到湖里。 Explorers say that primitive 节夫 living in the south like to jump from trees into lakes.
1	2	他们发现, 喜欢捉鱼吃是这种节夫具有的一大特点。 They found that the monkey's penchant for catching fish to eat was one of the characteristics of the 节夫.
	3	因为这个特点, 可以训练节夫当人类的捕鱼助手。 Because of this feature, 节夫can be trained to be fishing assistants for humans.
	4	占了半张脸的一双大眼睛让节夫看起来特别可爱, 还很萌。 A pair of big eyes that occupy half of the face make the monkey look particularly cute and cute.
2	5	而且, 脖子可以转一圈也是节夫突出的特点。 Moreover, the ability to turn the neck in a circle is also a prominent feature of 节夫.
	6	这些外形上的特点使得节夫成为当地人的一种宠物。 These physical features make the 节夫a pet for the locals.
	7	说起食物喜好, 雨林里的野果并不是节夫最喜欢吃的。 When it comes to food preferences, wild fruits in the rainforest aren't the 节夫favorite food.
3	8	而当地人种的花生却总是被节夫偷吃光。 The peanuts grown by the locals are always eaten by the 节夫.
	9	据说, 还发生过节夫跳到农家里吃肉的事情。 It is said that there have been cases of 节夫jumping into farmhouses to eat meat.
	10	当地人认为节夫是一种可爱的吉祥物。 Locals consider the 节夫to be a cute mascot.
4	11	听说, 他们总喜欢把节夫当作宠物喂养。 It is said that they always like to feed 节夫as pets.
	12	一般, 那种家养节夫只有大人的手掌那么大。 Usually, the domestic 节夫is the size of an adult's palm.
	13	有冷风的时候, 为了保暖, 群居的年幼节夫经常挤在一起睡觉。 When there is a cold wind, young 节夫that live in groups often huddle together to sleep together to keep warm.
5	14	相互理毛也是野生节夫常见的行为动作。 Mutual grooming is also a common behavioural action in wild 节夫.
	15	不过, 这些群居节夫从来不分享食物, 也是有点怪。 However, it is also a bit strange that these social 节夫never share food.

Prime stimulus Stroke	Index	Relevancy of the meaning of the target word
Prime stimulus Stroke	Index	Relevant	Irrelevant
High	Reaction time	639(112)	628(124)
High	Accuracy	94.13(8.80)	95.33(7.23)
Low	Reaction time	632(109)	648(123)
Low	Accuracy	95.33(8.88)	93.22(9.42)