Finally, the present thesis develops an analytic account of word recognition and reading in Chinese. Implications are drawn for both experimental studies of normal reading and neuropsychological studies of dyslexia in Chinese.

The present study investigated age differences in implicit memory for positive, negative and neutral words. We also explored how cognitive control and time of testing influence emotional memory. Participants completed a one-back picture comparison task with superimposed distracting emotional and neutral words. Memory for distracting words was tested using an implicit memory test and cognitive control by a flanker task. Priming was significant for negative but not for positive and neutral words. Memory for distracting negative words was greater at non-optimal times of day for young adults but similar across the day for older adults. A high level of cognitive control was related to greater priming for negative words in young adults and lower priming in older adults. Priming for neutral words was enhanced in high cognitive control participants when stimuli contained emotional words that were relevant to one’s goals, implicating the use of emotion regulation at an unconscious level.

This study examined English and French literacy skills among language minority children in French immersion. Forty children with a first language other than English (non-English L1) and forty-one native English-speaking (EL1) children were examined on phonological awareness, rapid automatized naming, word reading, and English vocabulary at the beginning and end of Grade 1. They were also examined on phonological awareness, word reading, and French vocabulary at the end of the year. Non-English L1children experienced greater growth in English expressive vocabulary, and similar growth in English receptive vocabulary, to that of EL1 children. There was a cross-language transfer of phonological awareness and word reading from English to French, and cross-language relationship between English receptive vocabulary and French receptive vocabulary for both groups. Non-English L1 children do not lag behind in early English skills, even when their English exposure is limited in a French immersion setting.

The present study investigated age differences in implicit memory for positive, negative and neutral words. We also explored how cognitive control and time of testing influence emotional memory. Participants completed a one-back picture comparison task with superimposed distracting emotional and neutral words. Memory for distracting words was tested using an implicit memory test and cognitive control by a flanker task. Priming was significant for negative but not for positive and neutral words. Memory for distracting negative words was greater at non-optimal times of day for young adults but similar across the day for older adults. A high level of cognitive control was related to greater priming for negative words in young adults and lower priming in older adults. Priming for neutral words was enhanced in high cognitive control participants when stimuli contained emotional words that were relevant to one’s goals, implicating the use of emotion regulation at an unconscious level.

This study examined English and French literacy skills among language minority children in French immersion. Forty children with a first language other than English (non-English L1) and forty-one native English-speaking (EL1) children were examined on phonological awareness, rapid automatized naming, word reading, and English vocabulary at the beginning and end of Grade 1. They were also examined on phonological awareness, word reading, and French vocabulary at the end of the year. Non-English L1children experienced greater growth in English expressive vocabulary, and similar growth in English receptive vocabulary, to that of EL1 children. There was a cross-language transfer of phonological awareness and word reading from English to French, and cross-language relationship between English receptive vocabulary and French receptive vocabulary for both groups. Non-English L1 children do not lag behind in early English skills, even when their English exposure is limited in a French immersion setting.

Typescript. / Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1977. / Bibliography: leaves 240-243. / Microfiche. / xiii, 243 leaves ill

Typescript. / Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hawaii, 1969. / Bibliography: leaves [199]-207. / viii, 207 l

Photocopy of typescript. / Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1976. / Bibliography: leaves [408]-413. / Microfiche. / xiv, 413 leaves ill

Although it is well established that persons with traumatic brain injury (TBI) experience word retrieval difficulties, the underlying cause of these deficits is not known. Difficulties with word retrieval have negative social implications as they can impact on the ability to converse with others. The overarching goal of this dissertation was to determine the underlying cause of problems with word retrieval after TBI. To test word retrieval in this dissertation, participants were given a series of word fluency tasks and the speed of word generation was measured. In addition to measuring interresponse times, procedures used by Rohrer, Wixted, Salmon and Butters (1995) were also followed. This involved the calculation of parameter estimates to investigate whether slowed retrieval or degraded semantic stores were responsible for the patients� word retrieval difficulties. One parameter (N) was a measure of the total number of retrievable words and the second parameter (tau) was an estimate of mean latency. Study 1 was designed to trial the procedure and equipment adopted throughout this dissertation to analyse speech. University students were presented with categories on a computer screen and asked to generate as many exemplars as possible in 60 seconds. A PowerLab Chart sound system was used to measure the time that each word was generated. The results of Study 1 showed that the methodology of previous research could be replicated using the PowerLab Chart sound system. In Study 2, persons with postconcussion syndrome (PCS) and matched controls were given two word fluency tasks. Results showed that on both tasks patients recalled fewer words, had longer pauses between words, and took significantly longer to generate their first word than controls. Also, patients had a significantly reduced N relative to controls, but there was no difference in tau between patients and controls. Given that the participants had not finished responding and that parameter estimates require responses to be exhausted, Study 3 was designed to replicate the findings of Study 2 using an extended recall period. In Study 3, patients with PCS and matched controls completed a series of word fluency tasks and were given extended periods of time to generate words. Results showed that the patients obtained significantly fewer words on two of the tasks, but no evidence of slowed retrieval was found. There was also no difference in the estimates of N and tau between patients and controls. As the patients in Study 3 sustained more minor injuries than those in Study 2, Study 4 tested patients with severe TBI. In Study 4, patients with severe TBI and matched controls were given a series of word fluency tasks. Results showed that the patients generated fewer words and experienced slowed retrieval. Again, there was no difference in the estimates of N and tau between patients and controls. The results of Study 4 confirmed the hypothesis that slowed word retrieval is a consequence of TBI. Taken together, the results of this dissertation show that an underlying slowness of processing is the primary cause of problems with word retrieval in persons with TBI.

Bibliography: leaves 329-336 / ix, 336 leaves : 1 ill. ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Education,1988