Rapid prediction of verbs based on pronoun interpretation is modulated by individual differences in pronoun processing

Abstract

ABSTRACT How quickly can pronoun interpretation affect the prediction of a following verb? Readers were presented with implicit causality contexts in which a specific pronoun and following verb were predictable. N400 and reaction time results indicated that predictable verbs were facilitated relative to unpredictable verbs when following predicted pronouns, suggesting that verbal predictions were rapidly updated based on pronoun interpretation. There was also some evidence for rapid updating of verb predictions after unexpected pronouns, but this was modulated by individual differences. Some readers appear to have placed higher weight on top–down implicit causality predictions to interpret unexpected pronouns, and others on bottom–up information from the gender on the pronoun. These differences in turn affected the N400 response to expected and unexpected verbs. The results together demonstrate that pronouns can be interpreted quickly enough to affect predictions about the following word.