A1 Journal article (refereed)
Embodied processing of disgust in Mandarin words : An ERP study (2021)

Gu, B., Wang, H., Beltrán, D., Liu, B., Liang, T., Wang, X., & de Vega, M. (2021). Embodied processing of disgust in Mandarin words : An ERP study. Journal of Neurolinguistics, 58, Article 100981. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneuroling.2020.100981

JYU authors or editors

Publication details

All authors or editors: Gu, Beixian; Wang, Huili; Beltrán, David; Liu, Bo; Liang, Tengfei; Wang, Xiaoshuang; de Vega, Manuel

Journal or series: Journal of Neurolinguistics

ISSN: 0911-6044

eISSN: 1873-8052

Publication year: 2021

Volume: 58

Article number: 100981

Publisher: Elsevier

Publication country: United Kingdom

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneuroling.2020.100981

Publication open access: Not open

Publication channel open access:

Abstract

The embodiment theory of linguistic meaning posits that comprehension reuses the sensory-motor systems and their neural networks. The present study aims to verify the embodiment theory by investigating the spatiotemporal brain dynamics of processing disgust-related words in Mandarin. These words were chosen because disgust is a basic emotion (e.g., it recruits neural resources in the insula) that has received little attention in neurolinguistics. The participants were required to read disgust-related and neutral words, with instructions to perform a semantic categorization task while their EEG data were recorded. The results revealed that disgust-related words elicited larger amplitudes in the P2 and LPC components of the ERP and reduced the N400 amplitudes compared to neutral words. The source localization for the effects obtained in the P2 time window showed activations of the insula and other sensory and emotion-related brain structures. These results demonstrated the brain dynamics of Mandarin-speaking Chinese participants during emotion processing in words and clearly supported the theory of embodiment semantics.

Keywords: neurolinguistics; emotions; aversion; bodiliness; Chinese language

Free keywords: emotion; disgust-related words; Mandarin; embodiment; ERPs

Contributing organizations

Ministry reporting: Yes

Reporting Year: 2021

JUFO rating: 2