中華心理學刊 民 83，36 卷，1 期，59-80
Chinese Journal of Psychology 1994, Vol.36, No.1, 59-80

Sheng-Ping Fang（Department of Chinese Literature and Linguistics National Tsing Hua University）

Abstract

This study explored the relationship between two phenomena: greater right visual field (RVF) superiorities for longer English words and the Chinese character-word difference in laterality patterns. Experiment 1 examined the laterality patterns of Chinese 2- to 5-character lower-frequency words and found only a length effect. Experiment 2 examined the laterality patterns of 2- and 4-character higher-frequency words and found only a RVF advantage. Experiment 3 examined the laterality patterns of 2- and 4-component compound characters and found both a length effect and a RVF advantage. The results failed to support Ellis, Young, and Anderson's (1988) model of different modes of word recognition in the two cerebral hemispheres, and questioned the existence of the Chinese character-word difference in laterality patterns.

Keywords：Word-length effect, Chinese character-word difference in laterality patterns, Hemispheric