The Word Boundary Effect of Chinese Character Position Processing in Overlapping Ambiguous Strings

doi:10.12139/j.1672-0628.2026.05.001

Abstract

Abstract: In the present study, we explored whether the word boundary information affects character position processing of overlapping ambiguous strings in Chinese. We used four-character overlapping ambiguous strings (e.g., 全书记载) and two two-character words (e.g., 全书介绍) as our targets. We embedded the targets into sentences and then manipulated the previews of the targets using the boundary paradigm. The preview was identical to the targets (identity condition), had the middle two characters of the targets transposed (TC condition), or had the middle two characters that were different from those in the targets (SC condition). In later measures of processing, for overlapping ambiguous strings, the fixation durations on the targets in the TC condition were significantly longer than those in the identity condition, and were significantly shorter than those in the SC condition. For two two-character words, the fixation durations on the targets in the TC condition were significantly longer than those in the identity condition, but were not significantly different between the SC and TC conditions. These results indicate that the ambiguous boundary has an effect on character position processing, and the word boundary effect exists in character position processing of overlapping ambiguous strings.

Key words: character position, overlapping ambiguous strings, Chinese reading, eye movement

摘要： 本研究使用眼动技术探究了重叠歧义字段的汉字位置加工是否受词边界的影响。以四字重叠歧义字段(如，全书记载)和两个双字词(如，全书介绍)为目标刺激，对目标刺激中间的两个字进行操纵，三种预视刺激包括：相同条件(预视刺激和目标刺激相同)，转置条件(目标刺激中间两个字调换位置)和替换条件(目标刺激中间两个字被其他字替换)。结果发现：在晚期指标上，对于两种目标刺激，转置条件的注视时间显著长于相同条件。但是，对于重叠歧义字段，替换条件的注视时间显著长于转置条件。对于两个双字词，替换条件和转置条件差异不显著。结果表明：歧义字段边界信息影响汉字位置加工，重叠歧义字段汉字位置加工存在词边界效应。

关键词: 汉字位置, 重叠歧义字段, 中文阅读, 眼动

CLC Number:

B842

GU Junjuan, ZHANG Xiaoran, LYU Shaobo, LOU Ya. The Word Boundary Effect of Chinese Character Position Processing in Overlapping Ambiguous Strings[J]. Studies of Psychology and Behavior, 2026, 24(5): 577-583.

顾俊娟, 张肖冉, 吕少博, 娄娅. 重叠歧义字段汉字位置加工的词边界效应[J]. 心理与行为研究, 2026, 24(5): 577-583.

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