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Chinese characters are similar to
morphemes or words in alphabetic languages in their functions, but they are
very different in their structures. Unlike English words that are arranged
linearly, three levels of hierarchical organization can be distinguished
within a constant square-shaped size of a Chinese character. Because Chinese
characters are complex visual stimuli and they are also familiar linguistic
materials for Chinese readers, they serve as an excellent tool to
investigate the sensorimotor processes on the one hand and the knowledge
representation on the other. We have approached issues as such by conducting
both behavior and fMRI experiments. Behavioral data revealed the important
aspect of character structure and how familiarity affects our perception of
Chinese characters. However, in most conditions Chinese readers did not
differ in their perception from non-readers, other than the one that
particularly imposes the perception-for-action route in our visual brain. In
particular, results from fMRI studies confirmed the importance of the medial
occipital gyrus and the intraparietal sulcus in the involvement of grouping
of a perceived orderly writing action. |
